


Victoria Grimes III: Animal

by bamby0304



Series: Victoria Grimes [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Canon Universe, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-11 22:10:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 67,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16861195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bamby0304/pseuds/bamby0304
Summary: Alone, Victoria is left to fend for herself. Now, she’s no longer herself, instead a primal animal who’s only thoughts are of survival. Daryl and the others are on the run, going from house to house. But with Lori’s baby coming soon, they all know a permanent shelter is needed. So when the unexpected happens, how will everyone react? Will things ever be the same again?





	Victoria Grimes III: Animal

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old series with multiple chapters... it would take me forever to upload each individually, so the following piece is one long chapter. If you want to read it in separate parts you can find it on my ff.net blog (under the same name).

**Chapter 1**

**In the Shadows**

I scurried along the ground on all fours, finding it natural to walk like an ape instead of a person. My head whiped around as I watched everything around me. I couldn't be caught off guard. So many times had I been fooled by strangers.

The last human I saw had been stupid. They never knew I was watching, now days no one knew I was there. I kept to the shadows, walked with the walkers. But the moment the people made their mistake, and were no more, I stepped up and took whatever I could get off them.

I was an animal, back to basic instincs. Survive. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

I killed when I had to, whether it be human or walker- though I hadn't killed a human in a long while, and it was always for self defense.

I left my new shelter, my home, when I needed. Tracking animals, hunting, trapping and killing what I needed to survive.

I walked with the walkers, limbing and groaning, always covered with their blood so they left me. I was smart, sure- but I was an animal nether the less.

_Scurry. Scurry. Low. Don't let them see. Don't let them see._

A rat, scavenging for scrapes and hiding in corners. A rodent.

I collected many things. Things I remembered. A doll, a watch, a hat, a photo album, an arrow though no crossbow, a cap, ribbons, many little things that reminded me of people I could no longer remember faces of.

Names, thats all I had. Theadore. Beth. Andrea. Carol. Sophia. Amy. Randall. Jason. Jim. Dale. Hershel. Patricia. Jimmy. Beth. Maggie. Glenn. Carl. Lori. Rick. Daryl. No faces. Nothing but their names. But I remember the dead. Always the dead. The man with a limb, his hair recently shaved. The old man with his stomach ripped open. The little girl coming out of the barn. The girl by the rock quarry. Walker faces glued to my memory.

Everyday, crouched in my corner, a wrote on the walls. The names, over and over. I was afraid they go away like the faces. And I didn't want them. I was so alone, but they stay with me. Always with me.

I couldn't remember my name. I remembered my faces, seeing it in the water or glass wherever I went. Dirty, bloody, messy. Long Brown hair tangled and knotted, falling down, down, down. Skin, cut and scarred, bloodied and muddy. Eyes lost, alone, sad. Clothes ripped and torn, faded and worn.

I was an animal...

**  
**

**Chapter 2**

**Complications**

**DPOV**

It had been a big day clearing the prison yard. I stood on the bus by the gate, watching, guarding. The others all sat by a fire in the middle of the yard.

It had been about eight months, maybe longer, since the farm was over run and we were left out in the open with no food, shelter, or safety. Eight months since I had seen Victoria.

I had kept my promise. I stayed with the group, protecting and helping them. She was right, they helped me too. If it wasn't for them I would have gone off to find her and there's no telling what could have happened to me.

Eight months without her and it still hurt, it always would. But it was a pain I learnt to keep to the side. I was always aware of it, but I tried to keeping it under control.

Carol walked up the bus, placing a bowl of food near me before climbing up. I grabbed her arm, helping her. She passed me the bowl. "It's not much. But if I don't bring you something, you won't eat at all." she said, folding her arms as she tried to keep warm.

I dug into the food, not saying a word.

She rolled her shoulder, obviously with discomfort maybe even a little pain.

"What's wrong?" I asked, still stuffing my face with the little food she gave me.

"It's that rifle. The kickback." she rubbed her shoulder. "I'm just not used to it."

I watched her as she rolled her shoulder and tried to massage it. "Come on. " placing the bowl down I gestured for her to turn around. I licked my fingers before reaching over to the shoulder, massaging it.

She looked over at me after a while, smiling, and I slowly stopped. I realized what I was doing, it was like cheating. Carol was nice, but I couldn't move on just yet.

I dropped my hands from her shoulder. "Better get back." I started to move to get down.

"It's pretty romantic." she looked at me, fidgeting a little. "Wanna screw around?"

I scoffed, not taking her seriously. "I'll go down first." I told her as I leaned down to get off the bus.

"Even better." she grinned, still joking around.

"Stop." it was simple, no emotion really behind it. I knew she was messing around, but I still felt uncomfortable talking like that with Victoria gone.

**RPOV**

"Psst!"

I turned to Lori who was following me as I walked away from the group. I may have told them to turn down, but I had things I needed to do before I even thought about sleep.

"I appreciate everything you're doing. We all do. It's been a death march and they're exhausted. Can we just enjoy this for a few days?" she whispered as everyone else started to get to sleep.

Lori and I hadn't really been the same since the morning after the farm went. I felt as if she resented me for leaving Vickie out there on her own. She knew what I happened with Shane, how I killed him and the kids came, Vickie ending up killing the walker Shane had turned into. She hadn't reacted to it much, though she never really forgave me for leaving Vickie.

"Baby will be here in a few days. There's no time for a picnic." I told her.

She shook her head. "No, but it's time to get the house in order."

I shifted slightly. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"Your absolute best."

"Don't patronize me." I glared before walking off.

She followed though. "I'm not. I'm just saying the baby is about to be here and we nee to talk about-"

I turned to her. "About what?"

"Things. We've been avoiding most-"

"You want to talk? Talk to Hershel. I'm doing stuff, Lori. Things. Isn't that enough?" there was a silence between us as she thought about what I said. I went on. "I'm still here."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

I just turned and walked away, heading off to do what needed to be done.

**DPOV**

Hershel stood by the gate, waiting for Glenn, T-Dog, Maggie, Rick and myself. "Ready?"

Rick nodded, opening the gate. I walked into the courtyard with the others. We killed the walkers one by one as we stayed in a tight formation, moving forward together.

Hershel closed the gate once we were in, while the rest called for the walkers' attention, killing them from behind the fence.

I killed a walker, knowing I was out of formation, but needing it gone.

"Daryl." Rick warned, telling me to get back with the group. I rejoined them while they waited before we continued on.

"Get tight! Get tight!" Glenn shouted, knives slashing and tools stabbing as we killed more walkers. T-Dog moved away from us. "Don't break rank!" Glenn shouted at him.

"We need that." T-Dog grabbed the riot shield from the ground.

"T! T!" Rick yelled as a walker shuffled over.

T-Dog used the shield to knock a different walker over. Maggie ran over to kill it, breaking formation.

We had talked about how we were going to do his, go in and stay together as we cleared out the place. I could tell, just by looking over at Rick that the fact people were splitting the group was frustrating him. "Maggie! Maggie!" he yelled before she rejoined. "Almost there." he opened a door, checked inside, and then moved further.

Around the corner was an area full of walkers. There was a gate that could be closed off but there are a lot of walkers, and it would be dangerous..

Rick gestured for us to go back and press against the wall, all the while I kept an eye out for any walkers... Just like that there were more coming towards us, dressed in guard gear. I tried to shoot them but the arrow bounced off the screen of the helmet.

"Come on." Rick moved from wall.

We were no longer in formation, just killing whatever walker we could.

"Daryl!" Rick called as he knocked a walker down, then ran for the gate where all the walkers were. I followed and helped him close the gate before securing it. "We're good." Rick told me, both of us moving on to go help the others as they tried to kill the walkers with the suits.

Maggie jammed her knife through the chin of a walker into its brain.

"See that?" she asked, grinning.

I shoved my knife in the back of the helmet of a walker, into it's brain. Once it was down I looked around for more walkers, killing a couple the others didn't get as they killed their own.

Finally the walkers were either dead or behind the fence. I let out a breath, still looking around just incase. It had been a blur, stabbing, moving, stabbing, moving.

Glenn ran off towards the others but Rick called out to him. "Stop."

Glenn turned back around and moved to us again. "Well it looks secure."

"Not from the look of that courtyard over there." I pointed to the closed off court yard full of snarling walker. "And that's a civilian." I gestured to a walker near where we stood.

"So the interior could be over run from walkers outside the prison." T-Dog noted.

"Well, if there's walls down, what are we gonna do? We can't rebuild this whole place." Glenn sighed, I understood. If the inside was over run, there was nothing we could do.

"We can't risk a blind spot." Rick told us, obviously not giving up on making this our shelter. "We have to push in." he said, moving towards door. He turned to face the others as they waited on the other side of the fence, confused as to what we were doing. But nether the less, we followed Rick, leaving the others clueless and getting back into formation.

With a nod from Rick I opened the door to the inside of the prison. All of us standing ready to kill, walking in carefully. Rick opened the next door, it's creak echoing through the empty room.

Behind us Glenn closed the door to the outside, there were no walkers getting in or out.

Rick walked down the stairs before he gestured for all of us to look around.

It smelt, though that was probably from the pile of dead walkers under the stairs. I found it odd that the pile was there, but once Risk checked to make sure the walkers were all dead I dismissed any thought of them and moved on.

Everyone was moving around quietly, checking the place out for any dangers whether it be human or walker.

We all watched Rick as he climbed the stairs, knife at the ready. There was a rustling before he showed me the keys in his hand. I nodded and he headed down as we all moved to the doors o the cell block.

Rick unlocked the gate, the gate creaking open just like the last one. I was in first, my cross bow ready as the others filed in, everyone moving to check each cell.

I was making my way up the stairs when the sound of someone dropping their weapon stopped me.

The clang of metal on concrete rang through the cell block, everyone turning to Maggie.

"Oh, my God."

**  
**

**Chapter 3**

**Car-el**

**MPOV**

I looked into the cell, a walker rested against the wall already dead. I was just about to move on when the slightest movement stopped me. It was a flicker, only a small movement, but I noticed it. With my knife ready I took a step forward. The step allowed some light to come into the room, the corner not so dark anymore.

I dropped my knife, my heart stopping at the sight in front of me.

"Oh, my God."

It would have been hard to recognize if I hadn't been thinking about that face for the last seven months. But there, crouched into a ball in the corner was Victoria Grimes.

**RPOV**

I didn't look in the cell, I checked Maggie first, making sure she was okay. But Glenn looked in, and when he dropped his own knife I couldn't help but look.

"Holy, crap." T-Dog excliamed.

She was a mess, mud, blood and dirt covering her. Her hair was a tangle, no longer taken care of. She crouched and shook in the corner, obviously scared. But I could still see her.

My knife dropped to the ground as I fell to my knees. "Vickie?"

**DPOV**

When the others moved to Maggie, I moved on. The cell block needed to be cleared and she was getting taken care of.

"Holy crap." I heard T-Dog as I checked one of the rooms up stairs. It was enough to get my attention as I moved back to the railing, looking down at them.

But when Rick fell to his knees, his weapon dropped, my attention increased. It wasn't until he spoke when I rushed over to them.

"Vickie?"

That word, one I hadn't heard out loud in so long. It was like fuel to fire, pushing me to the door of the cell. And sure enough there she was. She was frail and small, barely nothing on her bones. She was dirty and bloody, she looked like a walker. But I knew she wasn't, the way she looked up at us with fear as she shivered in the corner, her hair a nest of knots and random bits of twigs and things.

"Go get the others." I heard someone say, though I couldn't move. All I could do was stare at the person I still loved so much.

**MPOV**

"Go get the others." I told Glenn, seeing as Rick and Daryl were now no good to us. With Glenn gone I turned to T-Dog. "We have to clear this cell block before they get here."

He nodded and we moved, going from cell to cell. Up stairs there were two walkers behind closed gates, snarling and groaning. They had obviously heard the commotion downstairs. With a couple quick stabs, both of them went down, the cell block clear.

**LPOV**

We all stood behind the fence, waiting for the others to come out. I paced, worrying, wondering if they'll ever come out.

"Glenn!" Carol called.

I turned to see Glenn running towards us, his face full of mixed emotions. "You have to come. Quick."

"What is it?" Hershel asked as he opened the gate.

Glenn just looked at him and then looked at me. "You have to come see." he said rushing off.

We followed, all of us trying to keep up. We walked into the prison and made our way to the cell block.

"Maggie!" Glenn called as we all walked in.

She came rushing down the stairs and stood near me. I couldn't help but look over at Rick and Daryl. Rick was on the ground looking into one of the cells as Daryl stood there both of them frozen.

"Daddy you need to help her." Maggie told her dad as she led me towards the cell.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Hershel asked his duaghter.

"This." Maggie gestured into the cell.

I felt my legs give in as I started to fall to the ground, arms grabbed me before I fell. I couldn't believe it. It was my baby girl.

**VPOV**

I tried to hide in the corner as all the faces looked at me. They looked so familar, but I couldn't trust my eyes. One of them had called me Vickie, the man on the ground. But I had no idea what that meant.

"Is that?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Is she okay?"

"How the hell?"

"She's alive?"

"How'd she get in?"

All of them spoke so fast, so many words. My head spun as I whimpered in pain, not used to so mush noise... well unless it was groaning and moaning from the walkers.

"Vickie?" the man on the floor moved closer.

I flinched before climbing on to the top bunk, hoping height would keep them away.

"Rick..." it was a woman who spoke, her belly big.

I looked at each face, my eyes moving frantically as I tried to keep an eye on each so I knew when one moved. But it was hard. There was just so many of them.

"Vickie?" it was a small voice, so quiet and sweet. The face was just as small and sweet, a little boy with dark brown hair under a big black hat. He took a step forward, moving so he stood in front of the crowd. He looked up at me, his eyes full of tears. "It's me... it's Carl."

_Carl... Carl... Carl... I know that name..._

I shuffled over a little before jumping off the bunk, landing on all fours by my corner. I scurried on to the lower bed, slowly and carefully moving towards the boy. I leaned closer to him, holding on to the post of the bed as I reached forward. I flinched at first, scared to touch him, before my thumb ran along his cheek, brushing away his tear. "Car-el" I mumbled, trying to speak. "Car-el."

He nodded, smiling as more tears fell.

I stepped off the bed, crawling close so I could crouch in front of him. "C-Carl." I looked up at him.

"That's it." his eyes lit up. "Carl."

I smiled, bopping up and down excitedly. "Carl." I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him to me.

His arms came around me as he knelt down. He held me tight, but it flet nice. It all felt nice.

"Carl." I sighed happily.

**  
**

**Chapter 4**

**Here Now**

**RPOV**

We all watched in wonder as Carl held his sister. The two of them smiling happily as tears ran down Carl's face.

"Carl..." Lori took a step closer, and Vickie flinched, hiding behind Carl.

Carl stood in front of Vickie protectively. "She's scared." he told his mum as I watched my family without saying a word.

"Is that walker blood?" Carol asked, the others still standing in the door way.

Hershel nodded. "Looks like she used the blood to move around outside. It's probably how she got in."

"She probably killed all those walkers under the stairs, too." T-Dog noted, the others nodding with agreement.

Vickie whimpered, still hiding. Carl turned to her, looking at her as if he were the big brother protecting his little sister.

"It's okay. These people won't hurt you." he nodded to her, hoping she'd relax. "Don't you remember?"

"Names. Names. No face." she hit her head with her hand, trying to tell us something.

"She don' remember our faces." Daryl grunted.

My eyes landed on him as I realized what this must feel like to him. When I had thought I lost Lori and the kids I had been torn in two, doing everything I could possibly do to find them. And when I finally did see them again it was beautiful. But Lori had ran to me, arms open. Vickie was flinching from him.

Vickie grabbed Carl's hand before leading him out of the room, watching the others carefully like they were walkers or enemies, she was ready to defend if needed.

We all followed as she moved up the stairs to one of the cells. Inside, all over the walls, blood was smeared everywhere. She had written names, over and over, as if trying to keep the memory of them. Theadore. Beth. Andrea. Carol. Sophia. Amy. Randall. Jason. Jim. Dale. Hershel. Patricia. Jimmy. Beth. Maggie. Glenn. Carl. Lori. Rick. Daryl. Every name written over and over again.

Vickie pulled Carl closer to the wall, pointing at his name. "Carl." she nodded at the name.

He pointed to Lori's name. "Lori." he looked down at her before pointing to Lori. "That's Lori. That's mum."

She looked between Carl and Lori, eyes wide with wonder and confusion. "Lo-Lori... m-mum." she mumbled before turning to the wall. She pointed to another name, bopping up and down.

One by one Carl would tell her who each person was. When it came to the dead he simply told her they were gone.

"Jason?" she asked, looking at the group. By now she was reading the names, as if she was learning how to once more.

Carl shrugged. "I don't know who he is."

She turned to Lori, who now sat on the bed next to them. But Lori just shook her head. "We haven't met Jason."

I looked over at the group, everyone still crowded around the doorway. Daryl stood there leaning against the wall, watching her so carefully like he wasn't letting her slip away again.

Vickie looked over at the group. By now she only had my name, Daryl's name and Maggie's name left. She took a step forward still walking like an ape. Her head tilted as she took another step closer, looking at Daryl.

Suddenly his eyes were wide as he looked at everyone else. His eyes questioning what was happening, as if he thought he was imagining it all.

But no, he wasn't.

Suddenly Vickie stood, very slowly and carefully. I was surprised at how strong she looked. I was sure she had forgotten how to stand, and with how thin and frail she looked it was a wonder how her body could hold her up.

**DPOV**

I looked at Vickie with wide eyes as she slowly stood in front of me.

She just kept staring at me. Her head tilted to the side. "Daryl."

One word, one simple word, just my name. But it felt like more than that. She looked into my eyes, not asking if she was right or wrong, not waiting for me to speak. She just stood there watching me as closing as I was watching her.

"Vic." I let the word slip out, and she nodded, turning to everyone else.

She looked at Maggie. "Maggie." she turned to Rick. "Rick." she was remembering.

Everyone looked at each other, smiles wide, eyes full of wonder and relief. We had found her, she was home and she was safe.

She crouched back down, moving to the bed next to Lori, where she lay her hand on Lori's stomach, watching it carefully. It was obvious the show was now done. She was quite content sitting there with her mum and brother in silence.

"We should all find a cell each." Rick said as he moved to stand in front of the rest of us, getting back to buisness. "Tomorrow we have to clear the tombs, head to the cafeteria and see if there's supplies."

There was a squeak of protest from behind him. We all looked to Victoria as she climbed off the bed and reached under it. She pulled out a bag that was open showing us a few cans of food and bottles of water. Nodding at Rick she gestured for him to take it. "Walkers in tombs."

Rick knelt down in front of her and grabbed a bottle of water. "We have to." he simply told her before turning to the rest of us.

**VPOV**

Lori slept on the bottom bunk, everyone else was asleep in their own rooms. Carl was on top, curled on my bed. I couldn't sleep though. All I could do was sit on the ground and watch Lori sleep. I didn't want them to disappear.

"Vickie?" Carl groaned from the top bunk, his head poking off the edge as he looked down at me. "What are you doing. You should sleep."

I climbed up and crouched next to him. I just shook my head, pulling the blanket up to cover him. "You sleep." I said. I stayed here I was as I watched him slowly fall back to sleep.

Once I was sure he was gone I climbed back down and scurried along the floor, leaving the room. I wanted to see the others. Moving from cell to cell I checked they were all there and okay. Daryl wasn't in a room though. He slept on a mattress on the perch by the stairs.

I moved over to him, but I hadn't expected him to roll over and look at me.

"What are you doin'?" he asked, sitting up. I frowned at him and tried to push him down so he was lying again. But he didn't budge. He shook his head. "Vic, go back to bed." he sighed.

I shook my head trying to push him down again. "You sleep." I told him.

He shook his head again. "I can't sleep."

I let my hands fall back to the ground as I just stared at him. "Why not sleep?"

He sighed. "I don' sleep no good no more."

"Why?"

He looked up at me, eyebrow raised. "You just gonna keep askin' questions like that?" I nodded and he grinned, shaking his head once more. "Couldn't sleep once we lost you. Thought I'd never see you again."

I just shrugged, inching closer. "Here now."

He nodded. "Yeah, you are."

"So you sleep." I pushed on his shoulder again, this time getting him down. Pulling the blanket up I tucked him in like I had with Carl. "Night." I nodded, happy with my work.

He stared up at me, grinning the whole time. "Night."

Turning on my heels I made my way back to the room where I sat on the floor, watching Lori. I didn't even realise I had fallen asleep...

**  
**

**Chapter 5**

**Into the Tombs**

**DPOV**

I stood around a table with Rick, Hershel and T-Dog. We had an assortment of guns and useful things laid out on the table as we got ready to head into the tombs.

"Not bad." I nodded as I looked over some stuff.

"Flashbangs. CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'll work on walkers, but we'll take them." Rick looked through the pile of things.

I picked up a helmet, walker juices all over it. "I ain't wearing this shit."

"We could boil 'em." T-Dog suggested, holding up some more things with walker blood covering it.

"Ain't enough firewood in the whole forest. No. Besides, we've gotten this far without 'em, right?" I shrugged.

"Hershel." Carol came out of the cell block. She gestured for the old man to follow her, catching Rick's attention.

"Everything all right?" he asked her.

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." she old him before moving back into the cell block, Hershel close behind.

We kept looking through the things, sorting out what we could use and what we couldn't. As we worked throught the pile, Maggie and Glenn joined us, with Carl and Vickie close behind.

Maggie just shrugged at me and Rick. "She's been following me around all morning, showing me where she's hidden things."

Rick nodded before looking at Carl.

The kid looked at his dad, standing tall next to his crouched sister. "I'm keeping her safe." he told Rick.

"Good. I'll need you to stay put today. We don't know what's in there-"

"Walkers." Vickie answered casually. Rick turned to his daughter and I couldn't help but grin as she just shrugged.

Rick looked back at Carl before continuing. "Something goes wrong, you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here."

Carl sighed and nodded. "Sure."

Hershel came back out, Beth behind him. We all starting gearing up, Carl walking into the cells but Vickie stayed, grabbing a gun off the table.

"No." I shook my head, taking the gun away.

She glared and kicked out, tripping me to the floor. Before I could move she jumped on me, knife pressed to my forehead. "Dead."

Glenn laughed. "I think she can handle herself."

She nodded and got off me, still crouching. "I going."

"She could be an asset. We don't know what's in there." Hershel suggested.

I looked over at Rick who was looking down at Vickie, thinking about what he should do.

I stood up, not believing what I was seeing. "You're kiddin' right? You just got her back, and now you're sending her off to her death." I shook my head. "No, nuh-uh. No way. She ain't goin'."

Vickie stood, so slowly and carefully like yesterday. She looked at me, eyes glued to mine. Taking a step closer she was practically pressed against me as she challenged me. Everything about her in that moment dared me to say it again. She was not backing down.

T-Dog laughed. "Looks like you're girl grew balls, Daryl."

Holding my own I glared down at her, trying to keep my ground. But as time went by I knew she could stay like this forever.

"Fine." I sighed, stepping back. "You can come."

She nodded, no smug smirk or cheer. She just moved to the door, pulling out her own keys, getting ready to unlock the gate.

**MPOV**

We made our way through the tombs, each corner we got to made my heart beat faster and harder. But we stayed in formation, ready to fight.

Glenn sprayed another arrow on the wall, directing us on how to get back. I watched him, but also watched Vickie as she scrurried along the ground.

She didn't even have a torch, just moved along, hands free of weapons, yet ready to attack. It was interesting actually. The way she's... I guess evolved would be the word. Before the world was over run by walkers I guess if someone turned out like Vickie it would be devolution. But in a world like this it made sense.

We rounded another corner, only to be met by a group of walkers.

"Get back. Get back!" Rick ordered us as we moved back the way we came.

We ran down the halls, and I was sure we had no idea where we wer going. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that you ran and you didn't stop till you were safe.

"This way!" Rick yelled.

**VPOV**

I ran, standing on my feet like a person, following the others as we moved through the tombs.

"Come on. This way." I wasn't sure who was yelling, but I followed.

Suddenly my path was blocked by walkers, Maggie and Glenn behind me.

"In here!" Glenn yelled as Maggie grabbed my arm and pulled me in.

Glenn slammed the door as we huddle into a corner, Maggie checking me over with her torch to see if I was alright.

"She okay?" Glenn asked, standing ready at the door.

She sighed with relief and nodded. "She's good. What about you?" she stood and moved to him, her hands checking over him. But it wasn't like how she checked me. There was a vibe that pulsed between them.

"I'm okay." he nodded, pulling her into his arms. "We have to find the others."

**DPOV**

We crouched down in one of the rooms, Rick looking out the window.

"Where's Vic?" I asked them. "Glenn and Maggie too?"

Rick knelt by us as we all looked between each other.

"We have to go back." Hershel told Rick.

"But which way?" T-Dog sighed, all of us having no idea where they went.

That wasn't going to stop me. I just got her back. I wasn't loosing her now, not ever again.

Rick just shrugged and stood, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. Following his lead we all stood and got our weapons ready as he opened the door, walking out with us close behind.

Slowly and carefully we made our way through the tombs, checking down each hall for walkers or Maggie, Glenn and Vic.

"Maggie? Glenn? Victoria?" Hershel called, with a hushed voice, down each hall. When he was sure they weren't there we moved on.

**VPOV**

I pushed the door open, sure I heard someone call us.

"Rick?" Glenn followed me out.

"Dad?" Maggie whispered, stepping out too. Her voice echoed through the halls, bouncing off the walls. "Daddy?"

"Mag? Mag?" I heard Hershel call, so I scurried along the floor in that direction. There was a scream, and I was sure it was Hershel. "Help!" he called.

I threw myself around the corner, throwing my knife into the walker's head.

It had bitten into Hershel's leg, and that was a problem...

"No." Maggie cried from behind me as the others caught up.

I pulled my knife out of the walker's head, Rick standing by me as he helped stand Hershel up. I moved to the side, Glenn helping Rick.

"Oh, my God." Maggie cried, watching her father as he bled.

"Daryl!" Rick called, walkers coming from every direction.

Looking behind me, Daryl threw me a gun. I nodded and stood so we were back to back, shooting the walkers that came my way as he killed the others with his crossbow.

"Get back! Get back!" Rick yelled as we ran further into the tombs.

When we ran down a straight hall, Daryl and I stood side by side killing whatever got too close, checking behind us, Daryl helped the others file into a room while I kept my eyes focused on the walkers. Once we were all in we slammed the door shut, Theodore, Daryl and I pushed ourselves against them so the walkers couldn't get in.

"You got it? Have you got it?" Rick yelled as he placed Hershel down on the ground.

Theodore blocked off the door, nodding to me. I slid across the floor before stopping by Hershel, ripping my shirt leaving my stomach bare.

"Hurry up!" some one yelled as Rick ripped Hershel's pants.

I leaned forward, wrapping my rag around his leg as I looked up at Rick. His eyes locked with mine and he knew what I was telling him, without a word spoken.

"Hold him. Hold him down." he told the others as he undid his belt and wrapped it over my rag. "Only one way to keep you alive." he told Hershel as he grabbed the axe.

Just like that he started chopping at the leg, knowing he had to do it fast before the infection spread.

The axe hit the ground, as the leg came off. Rick stood, looking at all the blood. Kneeling back down his eyes scanned Hershel's leg. "He's bleeding out."

I looked around for something to use. There was no way I was letting him die.

"Duck." Daryl mumbled next to me before everyone fell to the ground and he stood with his crossbow ready.

We all looked over at where he was aiming, our eyes landing on people.

"Holy shit." one of them said, looking over at Hershel...

 

 

**Chapter 6**

**Convict Conflicts**

**DPOV**

I moved towards the window where the inmates hid. "Who the hell are you?" I asked, keeping my crossbow raised.

"Who the hell are you?" one of the asked, smartass tone in place.

"He's bleeding out. We gotta go back. Come around here." Rick told the others behind me. "Put pressure on the knee. Hard, hard! Push, push."

I edged closer to the window. "Why don't you come on out of there? Slow and steady." one by one they came out.

"What happened to him?" the first one asked.

"He got bit." was all I was saying.

"Bit?" he grabbed his gun.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy now." I warned.

In the corner of my eye I saw T-Dog raise his gun. Beside me Vic crouched on the floor, knife ready to throw. I hated having her so close to them, but I wasn't looking away from the prisoners.

"Nobody needs to get hurt." I told the one with the gun as he raised it at T-Dog. Behind me the others dealt with Hershel, while my attention was on the five new faces.

Suddenly Glenn walked past me. "Do you have medical supplies?" he walked right past the inmates like they were nothing.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" the bigger black guy asked.

"Who the hell are you people, anyway?" the one with the gun asked, still keeping it raised.

"Don't look like no rescue team." the white one noted.

"If a rescue team is what you're waiting for, don't." Rick told them from behind me. "Come on, we gotta go. Now! Come on!" Glenn came through with a metal table on wheels, rolling it to Rick. "I need a hand here. One, two, three, go!"

"Holy, Jesus!" the white one covered his face. But I kept my eye on them.

"T, the door." Rick called.

"Are you crazy? Don't open that!" one of the inmates told them.

But T-Dog did it anyway. "We got this."

"Daryl. Daryl!" Rick called.

I tapped Vic on the shoulder so she knew to follow, but kept my eyes on the inmates. "Come on, we're goin'." I told her. We walked backwards, keeping our eyes on the prisoners.

"Lets go. This way." T waited for us.

**VPOV**

I kept to the ground, staying by Daryl as we all made our way through the tombs. My knife ready and my eyes open, they followed me as I directed them through the halls.

"Come on!" Daryl called as we rounded a corner.

I threw my knife at a lone walker, scurrying over to pull it out of it's skull before going on, the others behind me. "Follow. Come, come." I told them, eyes darting around for walkers.

"Stop, stop." Rick told us, everyone doing as he said.

"Follow the flashlight. Come on, let's go." the other people were following.

"Go, go, go go." Rick order, trying to move fast so they wouldn't catch up.

I unlocked the gate, letting everyone pile in as Daryl stayed next to me crossbow at the ready. Rick and Glenn moved fast heading towards the cell block.

"Open the door! It's Hershel! Carl! Come on." Rick order.

Daryl, Theodore and I stayed in the open area as the others closed and locked the gate. I crouched on the ground by Daryl.

Slowly one by one they came in.

"That's far enough." Daryl warned, crossbow aimed at the one with a gun.

"Cell Block C. Cell 4, that's mine, gringo. Let me in." the Gun Guy shrugged, still edging closer.

"Today's your lucky day, fellas. You've been pardoned by the State of Georgia. You're free to go." Daryl told them, not flinching.

"What you got going on in there?" Gun Guy asked, doing all the talking.

"It ain't none of your concern." Daryl's voice was steady and even.

He grabbed his gun out. "Don't be telling me what's my concern."

I stepped forward, growling, knife edging to be thrown. Daryl stood and moved closer too, standing by me.

"Chill, man. Dude's leg is messed up. Besides, we're free now." the big one said. "Why are we still in here?"

"Man's got a point." Daryl agreed.

"Yeah, and I gotta check on my old lady." the middle black guy noted, obviously trying to get the others to leave too.

"A group of civilians breaking in to a prison you got no buisness being in, got me thinking there ain't no place for us to go." Gun Guy shrugged.

"Why don't you go find out?" Daryl stepped closer, standing in front of me.

"Maybe we'll just be going now." moustache man said.

"Hey, we ain't leavin'." Gun Guy wasn't backing down.

"You ain't coming in, either." Theodore came around the corner, gun raised at the new people.

"Hey, this is my house, my rules. I go where I damn well please." gun man yelled, and the arguing began.

Back and forth the men argued as I stayed crouched on the ground, moving slowly so I could get a good aim just in case things got ugly.

"What, that your dog?" Gun Guy aimed at me.

Daryl moved in front of me protectively. "Don't even look at her."

"Like I said, this is my house. I can do whatever I want... or whoever." he grinned, the look giving my flashbacks of faces holding me down.

I didn't even realize all of them were yelling as the others talked Gun Guy and Daryl out of fighting.

"There ain't nothing for you here." Daryl barked. "Why don't you go back to your own sandbox?"

"Hey everyone relax. There's no need for this." Rick came around to stand between Daryl and Theadore.

"How many of you in there?" Gun Guy asked.

"Too many for you to handle." Rick glared knowingly.

I watched as they exchanged conversation, not really paying much attention. All I could really think about were those faces that flashed in my mind. Those men by the fire, ropes and guns, blood and fear. It was like a nightmare, and it felt so real.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Daryl lowered his crossbow slightly.

"No phones, no computers." Rick paused, looking up from the ground. "As far as we can see, at least half the population has been wiped out. Probably more."

Gun Guy lowered his gun. "Ain't no way."

"See for yourself." Rick shrugged before moving to the doors, opening them to let light in.

I stayed by Daryl, waiting for the new people to move. Slowly they cautiously made their way to the door before walking out, looking around the courtyard. I followed Daryl, walking behind the group.

"You never said. How the hell did you get in here in the first place?" the short one asked.

I didn't know either. I had always used the front gates, walking in and out. No walker went for me as long as I was covered with walker blood; and if that meant a couple got in or out during the process, I didn't care.

Daryl pointed over to the right of the fence surrounding the place. "Cut a hole in that fence over there by that guard tower."

"That easy, huh?"

Daryl shrugged. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

"Easy for you to say." Gun Guy stared down at the dead bodies that filled the courtyard.

I didn't really care much about all the dead walkers. I mean sure it meant I couldn't snatch one up, kill it and use it's blood to go out. But I didn't think I'd be needing to do that anymore.

The big guy poked one of the walkers. "So what is this, like a disease?"

"Yeah, and we're all infected."

My eyes went wide as I stood and turned to Rick. This was the first I heard of it. "All infected?"

Mustache nodded in my direction. "Like AIDS or something?"

Daryl stood behind me, not even a step between us as he got protective. "If I was to kill you, shoot an arrow in your chest, you'd come back as one of these things. It's gonna happen to all of us." he told the others.

"Ain't no way this Robin Hood cat is responsible for killing all these freaks." Gun Guy looked sceptical.

The short one nodded, looking around. "Must be fifty bodies out here."

My head snapped to Gun Guy as he took a few steps towards Rick. "Where'd you come from?"

Rick just looked up at him. "Atlanta."

"Where are you headed?" he moved closer.

I walked up to Rick, standing behind him with my knife ready.

"For now, nowhere." Rick looked at Gun Guy, challenging him to say otherwise.

"I guess you can take that area down there near the water. Should be comfortable." Gun Guy pointed down to the field.

Rick nodded. "We're using that field for crops."

"We'll help you move your gear out." Gun Guy just ignored him, going on.

"That won't be necessary. We took out the walkers. This prison is ours." Rick said, matter-of-factly.

"Slow down, cowboy." Gun Guy scoffed.

The short one moved forward. "You snatched the locks off our doors."

"We'll give you new locks, if that's how you want it." Rick told them, not backing down.

Gun Guy gestured around him. "This is our prison. We were here first."

"Locked in a broom closet?" Rick chuckled. "We took it, set you free. It's ours. We spilled blood."

Gun Guy shook his head. "We're moving back into our cell block."

"You'll have to get your own."

"It is mine. I've still got personal artifacts in there. That's about as mine as it gets." he raised his gun.

I pushed past Rick, grapping his gun as I did so, pointing it right at Gun Guy's head. "Do it." I grinned, cocking the gun.

He looked at me, gun still raised at Rick. Suddenly Theodore and Daryl were there, ready to back me up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe let's try to make this work out so everybody wins." Mustache came to stand by Gun Guy and me.

Gun Guy shrugged. "I don't see that happening."

"Agree." I tilted my head, staring him down.

He smirked. "You got guts. But you wouldn't do it."

"Then shoot."

"I ain't going back in that cafeteria for one more minute." he shrugged.

"There are other cell blocks." Mustache noted.

"You could leave. Try your luck out on the road." Daryl stood beside me protectively.

Gun Guy looked over at all the others, my eyes never leaving his. "If these four pussies can do all this, the least we can do is take out another cell block."

"With what?" the tall one asked.

"Atlanta here will spot us some real weapons. Won't you, boss?" he asked Rick, his eyes darting over to me every now and then.

"How stocked is that cafeteria? It must have plenty of food. Five guys lasting almost a year?" Rick was ready to make a deal, no one was coming out of this empty handed.

"Sure as hell don't look like anybody's been starving." Daryl noted.

"There's only a little left."

"Well, we'll take half. In exchange, we'll help clear out a cell block." Rick rested a hand on my arm, telling me to back down. I stepped back, keeping the gun though.

"Didn't you hear him? There's only a little left." the short one snapped.

I went to raise the gun again, when Rick stepped in front of me. "Bet you got more food than you got choices. You pay, we'll play. We'll clear out a block for you, then you keep to it."

Gun Guy looked over at me for a moment before turning back to Rick. "All right."

"But let's be clear, if we see you out here anywhere near our people, if I so much as even catch a whiff of your scent, I will kill you." Rick stood face to face, not even a rulers length away from Gun Guy.

"Deal."

**  
**

**Chapter 7**

**The Brain**

**RPOV**

"I want you to stay here. Look after everyone else. If something goes wrong I need to know Lori and Carl will be safe." I told Vickie, who was now standing like everyone else.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Carl fine. I protect  _you_." she pressed a finger to my chest stubournly.

I just sighed. "I don't trust them. You have to stay here." yet she just shook her head again.

Daryl walked over to us, T-Dog watching the others. "We goin'?"

I turned to him, and shrugged. "She won't stay."

He shifted his cross bow, looking at me before his eyes moved to her's. "If Hershel dies, we'll need you to deal with it. Carl's too young, and Glenn has Maggie to worry about. Can you stay, just incase?"

Her eyes fell to the ground as she thought about it. Finally, with a slow nod she walked over to the gate connected to the cell block where Carl let her in.

"You think she'll ever be back to normal?" Daryl asked, speaking so only I heard.

I shrugged. "I hope so."

**VPOV**

I stayed out of the room as Carol an Lori tended to Hershel. Crouching on the ground, drawing invisible patterns on the floor, I waited for something to happen. Maggie and Glenn stood together talking, but I ignored them. My focus was on the potential threat.

"You okay?" Carl knelt beside me.

I gestured to the room. "Alive?"

He followed my gaze, nodding. "Yeah, he's still kicking." I grunted in response as he turned back to me. "But are you okay?"

"Food's here." Theodore called from the other side of the locked gate.

Carl sighed and got up to let him in. "What you got?"

"Canned beef, canned corn, canned cans." I grabbed the top box from Theadore, following him as he moved to place the food down. "There's a lot more where this came from."

I placed the box down in the cell, then headed out to grab stuff off Rick. He nodded his thanks before walking off to talk to Lori. I placed the things down and then looked to Theodore for instructions.

He just shook his head and grinned. "Thought you were gone."

Carl smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing can kill her, she's tougher then Daryl."

Looking between them I smiled, though didn't really understand what they were going on about. It was them that had left. I had always been safe... well for as long as I could remember at least.

"T, you ready?" Rick poked his head into the room. Theadore nodded and followed Rick as he walked off.

I followed them into the front area where Daryl and the new people were, going through weapons that were laid out on a table.

I waited around the corner while Rick and Daryl explained everything to the others. They needed to know how to fight and kill the walkers, and how to move round so they were safest. I didn't want to get in the way while they talked. But as soon as they were done I walked towards them, knife ready to go.

Gun Guy gestured to me. "She coming?"

Instantly Daryl and Rick turned to watch me as I walked to the gate. Pulling my keys out I got ready to unlock the door once they were prepared to head inside.

"No way. You're staying here." Daryl stormed up to me, crossbow in one hand resting against his shoulder. He reached for my arm when he stood by me.

I stepped to the side so he missed me, while I got to the ground and snatched his keys. With Carl having Rick's pair, they now had none.

"I go." I glared, holding the keys close to me.

The other people just laughed and snickered. "She's fiesty. Wanna roll around with me baby?" Gun Guy made kissing noises to me.

Ignoring him, I kept my eyes on Daryl. He glared back at me, but nodded and stepped aside so I could stand by the gate once more.

**DPOV**

I stuck to the front of the group, making sure each corner was clear before letting the rest go on. I was on high alert because of Vic. If she wasn't there I wouldn't have been so worried and probably wouldn't have been as thorough. But her safety was my number one concern.

"It's comin'!" the white inmate was behind me, and I whirled around ready to hit him upside the head.

"Shh." Vic hushed him before turning to me. I stopped myself from going off at the guy, just kept looking at her.

Sure enough there was snarling up ahead, with a nod from Vic I turned around and got back to buisness. Holding up my hand so they stayed I waited till two walkers came around the corner. Before I could even think about attacking, all the inmates surged forward yelling a war cry or something.

All of them stuck to the way they'd kill a person. Hitting and stabbing everything but the head. They even got them to the ground, yet they still left the head untouched.

I looked over at Vic who watched them as if they were idiots, which they were.

**VPOV**

After having the new people throw themselves at walkers and the rest of us watched as they tried to kill the them like they were punching bags or something, we moved on. Daryl was still explaining how they had to be killed while I just walked with the group ready to kill.

"Not the stomach, not the heart. The brain." Daryl put down one walker, another one coming around the corner.

"I hear you. The brain." Mustache said before one of the new people stepped forward to kill a walker. Another few came around the corner but they were killed easily.

"Stay in tight formation. No more prison riot crap." Rick said before we all got into it.

I went into the fight, stabbing and slashing my knife at any walker that got near me. It had been awhile since I had killed walkers like this. Usually it was one kill, maybe two. But this felt good. I felt alive.

A gun shot went off as I killed my last walker. Turning around I saw Gun Guy, Rick and the biggest new person standing a little bit a way from the rest of us, a few walkers on the ground.

"I'm telling you. I don't feel anything. It's just a scratch." the big guy told Rick. Apparently he had been cut with the bone of a walker.

I stepped over to the others that crowded around the two men talking.

"I'm sorry, man." Rick wasn't lying, he really was sorry. No one should have to go through the stages and become a walker. It's horrible.

"I can keep fighting!" the big guy insisted.

"You cut that old guy's leg off to save his life." the shorter one added, sticking up for his friend.

"Look at where the bite is." Rick knew there was no way we could save this man's life.

"Guys, I'm fine! Just..." he stopped himself before calming down. "I'm fine. Look at me. I'm not changing into one of those things."

"Look, man, there has to be something we can do. We could just lock him up."

"Quarantine him."

"We gotta do something. Why are you just standing there? We gotta save him."

The new people didn't want to loose one of their own. I got it. Rick got it. We all did. But there was no way he could be saved.

"There's nothing we can do." Rick told them, not leaving any space for questioning or anything that would just end up making us loose more people.

The short one shook his head. "You son of a bitch."

"I'm all-" the big guy grunted before falling to the ground dead.

Gun Guy stood there with his weapon. He looked at Rick before slamming the weapon into the big guys head, over and over. Blood spurted every were, spraying his face. As he stepped back I looked at the body of the now dead guy, his head nothing more then mashed meat.

**RPOV**

I watched the prisoner with the gun. He walked ahead of me and Daryl, and I couldn't help but notice the way he always looked over at Vickie.

"You see the look on his face?" Daryl whispered to me quietly as we made our way through the maze of halls.

"He makes one move..." there was no mistaking my words. If he was going to be a threat, he had to be taken out.

"Just give me a signal."

I nodded at Daryl's comment before gesturing to Vickie. "Keep an eye on her."

"Always do."

T-Dog opened a door. As we all walked through we found ourselves in the laundry room. I headed straight for the door where Tomas and Vickie were already standing. The sounds of walkers snarling and moaning could be heard through the wood.

Daryl threw the keys to Tomas. The prisoner just looked at us. "I ain't opening that."

"Yes, you are." I told him. I looked over at Vickie and gestured for her to step back. She nodded and moved over to Daryl. "If you want this cell block, you're gonna open that door. Just the one. Not both of them. Because we need to control this.

He picked up the keys and stepped closer to the door. Unloocking it he turned to us. "You bitches ready?" he asked before tugging on the door handle to open it, when it didn't budge he just said. "I got this." before giving another tug, causing both doors to open.

"I said one door!" I yelled as the walkers piled in.

"Shit happens."

**  
**

**Chapter 8**

**Hungry Eyes**

**VPOV**

The walkers came rushing into the room, as Gun Guy stepped back. Rick yelled at him, and he yelled back but I didn't have the time to care. All that mattered was that we killed these walkers before they killed us.

Gun Guy stood next to me as I stabbed a walker. He did the same before his eyes locked on mine and I froze. That look he had. The one that made me feel like prey a lion was hunting, it was all too familiar.

"Vic, look out." a walker went for me, pushing me to the ground.

Daryl pulled it off seconds after I fell, killing it and throwing it to the side before helping me up. I nodded and went back to fighting, Daryl moving somewhere else.

When the last walker was dead I watched as Gun Guy and Rick talked, something must have happened while I was on the ground, because Rick looked pissed.

"It was coming at me, bro." Gun Guy shrugged.

Rick nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I get it. Shit happens."

The two of them stared at each other, something unspoken being told to each other through their eyes. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew it was bad.

"No!" the little guy stepped forward but it was too late.

Rick pushed his knife down onto Gun Guy's head, killing him instantly. Turning to the little guy, who was now on the floor, he got ready for another kill just in case.

"Easy now." Daryl pointed his crossbow at the man on the ground.

He got up and ran out the doors, Rick following him.

Daryl turned to the only two new people left. "Man, get down on your knees."

"We don't have no affiliation to what just happened. Tell him, Oscar." Mustache was shaking with fearful nerves.

Oscar, the other new person, just shook his head. "Stop talking man."

 

...

 

"T," Rick came back in, alone... "Take Vickie back to the others."

"Alright." Theodore walked over to me.

I glared and shook my head, staying crouched on the ground where I was. "I stay."

"No!" Rick's voice boomed through the room. My body tensed as I just looked over at him. "You're going back."

I stood carefully, still a little scared and tense from his voice. "Rick-"

"I said no!" He turned to me then, eyes blazing with an anger I couldn't argue with.

So I just nodded and walked over to Daryl. I handed him his keys back, placing them in his hand. Looking into his eyes I wanted him to know I was worried about the two of them. I wasn't sure why, but I cared about the them a lot, like I cared for Lori, Carl and Maggie.

Theodore tugged on my arm and I knew it was time we left...

**MPOV**

Vickie and T-Dog had come back awhile ago. After dad had died and Lori brought him back I wasn't sure I should leave his side, but by the look on Vickie's face I couldn't help but follow her to her room. T stayed down stairs and helped Carl organize the food, so it was just us two girls.

"You okay?" I asked her as I walked into her cell.

She sat on the ground, looking at the names on the wall. For some reason I had a feeling this was the first time she had sat down for a while, she was probably use to crouching all the time.

She just shrugged, still looking at the names. I sighed and walked over to her, sitting down as well. When I was comfortable she pointed to my dad's name.

"Hershel alive?" she asked, still looking at the wall.

I nodded. "Yeah. There was a close call, but Lori helped him."

"Good."

I watched her as her hand fell from my dad's name and rested on her lap. She looked at the wall with a look I had never seen Vickie have before. She looked at it with wonder, and awe at the same time. Like she still didn't understand it, yet it held so much meaning to her.

"Do you wanna talk about anything?" I asked, scooting closer to her slightly.

She pointed at the name Jason. "Man in tombs had eyes I remember. He look like this one. Hungry, animal. Stalking prey."

I frowned, not really understanding. "Do you mean he was a good fighter?"

She shook her head. "Hungry, animal. Evil."

"Maggie." Glenn walked in, and I turned to look at him.

I nodded before looking back at Vickie. "I'll be back, okay?" she didn't even nod, or say anything. Her hand just fell from the names as she continued to look at the wall.

**DPOV**

Rick and I walked into the cell block. T and Carl were standing outside the room where they had Hershel. They walked up to us, both of them relieved to see us.

"Hershel stopped breathing. Mum saved him." Carl told Rick as they headed into the cell.

I noticed Vic wasn't in there. Maggie looked up at me and headed out of the cell. "She's in her room. Hasn't left there since she got back. I'm worried about her."

I nodded and walked off, going to see if she was okay. Heading up the stairs and moving to her room, I dropped my crossbow by my matress, no longer needing it right now.

She was sitting on the floor, staring up at the names. She looked deep in thought, so I left her, not wanting to frighten her.

I couldn't stop thinking about what it must have been like for her. When she found out we were all gone and she was left at the farm by herself. How she had to survive on her own, finding food and water. What kind of people she might have run into while on the run. Did she have the same problems as us, keeping away from the herds?

I heard a commotion downstairs, pulling me from my thoughts. Leaving Vic and heading back to the cell where the others were I found Hershel looking up at Rick. He was alive, and he was going to be okay.

The tension that had been building as we all had waited to see if he would survive or not, was wiped away. He was going to be just fine.

"Where's Vickie?" Carl looked up at me.

"In her room." I told the kid, watching as he rushed up the stairs. He had gone through so much, grown up so fast. It amazed me at how mature he was.

"Is she okay?" Lori asked me.

I sigh and shrugged. "I don' know."

She nodded and headed for the gate to leave the cell block, Rick close behind. I think everyone was coming to realize Vic just needed her space sometimes, she didn't need us to look over her all the time anymore.

**VPOV**

Carl sat next to me, looking up at the wall as well. He was quiet at first, but I think he got bored with the silence pretty fast.

"Hershel woke up." he told me, turning away from the wall.

I nodded. "Good." I mumbled, my eyes glued to that one name.

"You wanna go outside? We can run around or something. It might be good to get some fresh air?"

I shook my head, images running through my mind. I was remembering things I didn't want to, and I was scared of what my memories told me.

Carl reached for my arm to shake me, but I flinched back and scurried away from him, looking down at my bare stomach. The scars that ran across my skin, ugly and terrorfying. I could feel them all, even the ones still covered. But I could also feel the hands that had held me and touched me.

"No." I mumbled, rubbing at my skin as a face came to mind. Those eyes, evil and hungry for something that wasn't his. That grin, tongue licking lips. I could feel him everywhere.

"No. No. No." I scratched at my skin, wanting to get rid of the feeling. But even when I was red and sore, even bleeding, I could still feel him. "No!"

**  
**

**Chapter 9**

**Scars**

**MPOV**

I heard the scream first, followed by Carl's feet running down the stairs. He threw himself into the room looking at Glenn with wide eyes.

"Something's wrong with Vickie." he told us.

Lori and Rick were somewhere else. Daryl and T-Dog were clearing the bodies out of the yard. Dad was still out cold. Carol was doing God knows what. It was just Beth, Glenn, Carl, and myself.

"No! Get off! No, no, no!" Vickie was sceaming up stairs, her voice full of fear and panic.

"Beth stay here." I stood and ran up towards Vickie's room. "Glenn go find Lori, or Rick. Or someone!" I yelled as I neared her room.

She sat in the corner rubbing her body, scratching at her skin. Her eyes were wide, her skin pale. She looked terrified.

"Vickie?" I moved to her and she looked up at me, silently begging me to help. I knelt in front of her as she kept rubbing at her skin. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"Hands. His hands. Mouth, tonuge, teeth, his... his..." her eyes grew wider as she cried. "Everywhere."

I looked at her skin, seeing some blood from where she had scratched herself. But underneath I saw scars, lots of them.

"What happened to you?" I slowly reached towards her, and she let me. I lifted her shirt slightly where I found more scars. "What did this too you?"

**LPOV**

Rick and I stood together, looking down at the yard as Daryl and T-Dog worked at moving a few bodies. We were in the process of talking about... well everything but us honestly.

Suddenly Glenn burst through the doors, looking at us the same way he had looked when they had found Vickie... without a word I rushed inside. I ran down stairs and through the cell block, up stairs and into Vickie's room. Maggie was kneeling by her, tears running down Vickie's cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

"She started screaming. I don't know what happened, I just found her sitting here rubbing and scratching her body like she had bugs under her skin." Maggie looked up at me.

"Hands. Hands." Vickie cried, looking down at her body with fear. "I can feel."

"What's goin' on?" I turned to see Rick standing behind me, but it was Daryl who spoke.

Maggie stood and blocked everyone's view of Vickie. "I need to talk to Lori, privately." she told them.

When they didn't move I stepped up. "We'll be fine. You can check on her after. We just need some space." I told them as I closed the gate. They reluctantly walked away, Daryl the last to leave.

Looking back at Maggie she gestured for me to follow. She knelt by Vickie who flinched at first before relaxing, looking up at me begging for help.

"You should see this." Maggie lifted Vickie's shirt and I gasped.

She was covered with long and deep scars. They ran all along her skin, each one looking as if it had caused a lot of pain. Her chest and stomach covered, her sides, the insides of her arms, I wondered if there were more.

"What happened?" I sat on the bed.

Vickie threw herself in my arms, tears streaming down her face. "Men. Hands. All over." I held her to me as she cried.

**VPOV**

I sobbed against Lori as she held me. I tried to speak so they would understand, but I couldn't form words properly. I was getting frustrated with myself as I kept trying and failing to make sense.

The faces were imprinted in my mind, like scars in my memory. They hurt, and they were ugly. I could feel them touch me, their eyes scan my body.

"Vickie, you need to calm down." Lori soothed, rubbing my back. "Relax."

I shook my head, pulling away. "Hands. Knife." I reached behind me and grabbed my knife from it's sheath. I showed them what I meant, pretending to slice my stomach where the scars were, but not actually touching my skin. "Evil man."

"Evil man?" Maggie asked, still sitting. "Like the man in the tombs?"

I nodded frantically, trying to think of a word that would help them understand. That's when my eyes landed on the wall of names. "Shane." I turned to Lori. "Evil Shane."

Her eyes went wide and I knew she understood. "Evil like Shane?" I nodded. "They-" she choked on the word and that's all I needed to hear in order to know she knew. I sighed and let myself cry as she pulled me into her arms. "Oh, my baby girl. You're safe. You're okay."

**DPOV**

I paced down stairs, waiting for Lori and Maggie to tell us we could go check on Vickie. It felt like it had been hours since they kicked us out, but I was sure it had only been half an hour or so.

Suddenly the door to the cell room opened and Maggie came out. She walked down the stairs, heading for us, her eyes staying on the ground.

"How is she? What's wrong?" Rick met her at the bottom of the steps.

"Is she alright?" Carl stood behind me.

Maggie looked up then, her eyes on Carl. "She's asleep, Lori's with her. You can go up there if you want, you just have to be quiet." Carl nodded and headed up, when I went to follow, Maggie blocked my path.

"What are you doin'?" I growled.

She looked away. "There's something you both need to know."

I turned to Rick who nodded, waiting for her to go on.

"Vickie... she..." Maggie sighed, collecting herself before continuing. "Vickie has scars all over her. She told us... she said... oh God." Maggie shook her head.

"She said what?" I needed to know what was going on. I cared for and loved Vic like no one else in the world. She was everything to me, and having her up in her room, screaming and crying, scars all over her, I was more then just worried.

"She said she was raped."

My jaw clenched as I remembered Shane. The way he touched her, tried to force her. I had stopped him, but to hear someone else had touched her the same way, that they had done more. I wanted to kill someone.

I turned away from them, knowing I needed to let off some steam. So I walked out of the cell block. I walked out of the prison and into the yard where there were still so many walkers that lay dead on the ground. I grabbed one, and stabbed it over and over as I yelled, letting as much anger out as I could.

I knew the chances of finding the guy who had done that to her were slim, and I also knew I couldn't just leave and find a walker that was a live to kill- I needed to stay alive for her. So all I was left with was dead walkers that were just lying around.

**RPOV**

I watched as Daryl left before I looked back at Maggie. "Raped?"

"She didn't say raped, I don't think she knows how. But she said she felt hands, and mouths, and-"

I cut her short, not wanting to hear it. "She's asleep?" she nodded. "And Lori's with her?" another nod. "How's Lori?"

"As good as she can be I guess."

It was my time to nod. "You should go check on Hershel and Beth. Stay with your family." she stepped off the last step and moved towards the cell room. "Maggie." she turned back to me. "Don't tell the others."

**  
**

**Chapter 10**

**Almost Normal**

**VPOV**

Lori, Maggie and Carol spent most of the next few days with me. Every now and then they'd check up on Hershel, but they spent most of their time trying to help me get back to the person I used to be. They helped me with my speech, and Lori showed me a few photos she had left of my past.

Carl would always be close, and whenever I had spare time I'd spend it playing with him. We'd run around and hide from the others, playing little tricks on Glenn and Theodore.

I was slowly getting back to normal.

"How are you feeling?" Hershel asked me as I walked into his cell.

I shrugged and sat on the ground next to him. Maggie and Beth were busy getting some food, but I wasn't hungry, so I had a chance to sit with him without the girls over hearing us. I always liked to talk to Hershel since they found me, he treated me as normal as I could remember, unlike the ladies sometimes.

"I should be up in a few days." he was trying to make conversation, and so I gave in and spoke up.

"Does it hurt?" I gestured to his leg.

He nodded. "Yes. But not as much as it did before."

"What does it feel like?"

"Like the bottom half of my leg is a ghost. It's there, but not there at the same time."

"That's weird." I mumbled, fiddling with my knife.

"You've come a long way. Talking and walking. Do you remember things better now too?"

I nodded. "I remember a lot, but not everything."

It was the truth. I remembered Dale, and how he died. I remembered the car accident Lori and I were in. I remembered Shane and those men and what they did to me. But I also remembered times before the world turned to hell.

"Not everything?"

I sighed and looked up at him. "I don't remember how I ended up alone. I don't remember most of the last eight months. It's all a dream. One big messed up dream with major parts missing from the story line."

He nodded. "It must be hard." I shrugged. "Living all alone and then suddenly being surrounded by people who seem to know you yet you don't remember them. Then having memories come back slowly. I can't imagine what it must feel like."

I sighed once more and let my eyes fall back to my knife as I looked down at my reflection on the metal. We fell in silence then, Hershel watching me- though I didn't mind.

I could hear footsteps heading our way and gathered it must be Maggie and Beth coming to give Hershel his lunch. I stood up and moved to the door, only stopped by the old man's voice.

"You'll remember everything eventually. Don't worry. But for now, you're doing good."

I gave him a half smile just as the girls reached the room door. I stepped aside and decided I wanted to go for a stroll outside. The court was clear of walker bodies, but the field hadn't been touched yet. Rick and Daryl had also cleared the pile of walkers I had made, inside the prison.

I walked around a little, following the fence. I liked it when I got to be alone. Don't get me wrong, I loved these people, I may not remember everything about them but at least I know how I feel. Though that doesn't mean I don't like to be alone everynow and then.

Since they came I haven't been able to have time to myself. Someone's always watching me, either from a distance or by my side. The only time I've really been able to be alone is when they're all asleep.

In the middle of the night I find myself going from cell to cell making sure everyone's alright, and that they won't disappear on me again. Lori doesn't stay in my cell anymore, instead she stays in the one next door with Carol. But Carl still shares a room with me. He sleeps on the bottom bunk, letting me sleep in the bed I've slept in since coming to the prison.

Carl and I spent some time washing the walls in my room yesterday. There was no more blood, no more names on the wall. I had felt as if it was the right thing to do. Every time I saw Shane or Jason, I would freeze and suddenly fear everyone. But Maggie insisted it was normal, I had been alone for so long it was no surprise I had a hard time trusting others.

"You okay?"

I turned to see Carl walking towards me.

I grinned and shook my head. "You gotta stop asking me that."

He smiled and stood beside me. "Sorry, I just keep expecting you to start crawling around again and mumbling stuff that doesn't make sense."

Still grinning I replied, "Yeah, you and me both, buddy."

We stood there for a while, just the two of us. We watched the walkers outside of the fence wander around aimlessly. I remembered the countless times I had walked out there like it was the most normal thing to do.

"Do you remember when we lost you the first time? When it was Shane, mum and me? You were only gone for a month then."

I nodded. "I lived on the highway outside of Atlanta city. Glenn found me."

"Yeah." he sighed. "Then dad came back, and everything was okay. Even when we were on the run, I wasn't as scared with you there. So when you went missing this time, I thought you'd come back... but you didn't..."

I looked down at him, noticing the way he looked so grown up and mature. "But you found me, and here I am. It's okay now."

He nodded. "I know. And I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too buddy. Me too."

**DPOV**

I stood on the perch of the steps looking down at Vic and Carl as they headed inside. Carl was busy talking, really interested in whatever he was saying. Vic smiled down at him, obviously enjoying spending time with her brother.

Carl pulled out a comic, flipping through the pages and showing Vic the pictures. She just kept looking down at him, smiling so happily.

"It's definitely a sight to see, isn't it." Carol came to stand beside me, looking at the siblings below. "She's come so far."

I nodded. "Almost like the last eight months never happened."

Carol scoffed. "Almost, but we're not that good. She still doesn't remember a lot."

I watched Vic, looking her up and down. I wondered if she remembered me, if she remembered us. She hadn't said anything, and as far as I could tell she treated me like she treated everyone else. So I doubted she remembered everything that happened between the two of us.

Carol sighed. "I can't imagine what it must feel like."

"What?"

"You have all those memories of the two of you, but you have no idea if she remembers, or if she feels the same as she did before."

Vic looked up at us then, though I knew she couldn't hear us. She smiled at me, our eyes locking for some time.

"Yeah, you can't imagine what it feels like." I mumbled as Vic looked back down at her brother.

**VPOV**

I climbed up on to the top of the bunk, listening to Carl as he rolled around, trying to get comfortable. It was late at night, and he was exhausted. I knew I could stay awake for hours, but I decided to go to bed as well.

"Vickie?" his little voice called up to me.

"Hmm."

He rolled around again before speaking up. "I love you."

I smiled and rolled onto my side so I could look out the doorway. "I love you too buddy."

It didn't take long before I heard his breathing coming out slow and steady. He started mumbling and twitching, like he did everynight. But no matter how long I laid there, I couldn't get to sleep.

I listened as the others said their good-nights, everyone going to their own cells and going to bed. But even when I could hear the low snoring from Theodore, or the chatter from Lori and Carol die, I couldn't sleep.

So after I was sure everyone was asleep, I crawled off my bed and walked out to the perch where I found Daryl lying down on his mattress, his back facing me.

But I knew he was awake. Every night I've come out here, and every night he's been awake.

"Again?" he rolled over looking up at me with a grin. "Still can't sleep?"

I shook my head. "For someone who can't remember most of her life, my head still won't shut up." I grumbled, sitting down next to him.

He sat up and leaned against the wall, exactly like he's done every other night. "What're you thinkin' 'bout this time?"

I shrugged. "A lot of different things. Too much stuff going up in here to really know what I'm thinking about." I gestured to my head.

He just nodded. "So why are you out here?"

I rolled my eyes. "You ask me the same question every night."

He grinned. "And you avoid the question every night."

I sighed and moved so I was leaning against the wall next to him. "I just like coming out here and talking to you. It's nice. It feels..."

"Familiar?"

"Yeah, familiar."

He nodded and we fell into silence, both of us just sitting there, looking around the cell block but not looking at each other. When I felt his eyes turn to me, I knew I should ask him the one questions that's been playing on my mind for awhile now.

"Were we close?"

"What do you mean?" he shifted uncomfortably.

"I mean, before I was separated from the group, were we close?"

"What makes you think we were close?"

I shrugged. "I feel comfortable around you. Like you said, it's familiar."

He nodded. "Yeah we were close."

I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on asking him what he meant to me and what I meant to him, I had a feeling he didn't really like talking about his feelings. So instead I stood up and moved away.

"I'll see you in the morning Daryl."

"Night." he called as I moved to my room.

I turned as I walked in, smiling over at him as he watched me. "Night." and with that I crawled back into bed and finally fell asleep.

**  
**

**Chapter 11**

**I Saved You**

**DPOV**

"Hey, Daryl." turning around I saw Carl heading towards me.

"Everything okay?"

I stood by the fance getting ready to go hunting. Ever since we cleared out the courtyard, Rick thought it would be best if I went hunting, and we'd all clear out the field another time. We needed food.

"Yeah, I was just wondering, you're going hunting right?"

I nodded. "Gotta eat, don' we?"

He shrugged. "Well maybe you should take Vickie?"

I looked at him knowing exactly what he was up to. "Look, Carl. I know you want everything to be back to normal, but I don't think spending time with me will get your sister to remember."

He sighed, looking down at the ground. "I know it's not going to be easy, but she just doesn't seem like herself. I mean, she's not as happy as she used to be. When she was with you back at the farm, it was the happiest I'd ever seen her. I just hoped that if she spent time with you, she'd be like that again." he shrugged.

I looked at him and I could tell he was really upset about this. He look hopeless. Seeing his sister as if she was half herself, and not being able to help her was really frustrating him. So if there was a chance I could help, I wasn't going to disappoint him.

"Okay, she can come."

**VPOV**

When Carl had told me I'd be going hunting, I had thought he meant I was going with a group. Turns out it was just Daryl and myself.

I couldn't help but feel tension radiating from him as we walked through the woods. It was like me being there was uncomfortable for him. I couldn't stand it. I wanted things to be okay between us. I still didn't know why, but he meant a lot to me, and so it mattered what he thought.

"Do you know how to track?" he broke the silence, surprising me that he spoke first.

I shrugged. "I've been on my own for eight months, what do you think?" I had meant to sound carefree, a joke. But I mentally kicked myself at how rude I had sounded.

Yet he scoffed. "You know who taught you?" before I could answer he set off, following a set of tracks.

I watched him, unable to shake the feeling that every movement tugged on a memory just out of reach. With each twitch of his muscles, with each quiet step, it all felt so familiar and natural.

He stopped in his tracks. I hadn't been paying attention, and so I bumbed into his back. He grunted, though it wasn't from annoyance but something else I couldn't read.

Looking over his shoulder I saw a deer and knew that was what he had been tracking.

He raised his crossbow, aiming it at the beautiful creature. I pictured him shooting it, the dead deer lying on the ground motionless. It's beauty gone.

Quickly, I stepped in front of him, blocking his view. Behind me I could hear the deer run off, but I was keeping my attention on the man in front of me.

"What'ch you doin'?" he asked, lowering his crossbow. He didn't sound angry or annoyed, just curious.

"We already live in an ugly world. You killing that creature would take more beauty away from us. I couldn't let you do that." I glared at him, waiting for him to challenge me.

But he just relaxed and continued to walk on.

After a while I started to watch him again, trying to pull the memory into focus. There was just something about him that made me feel... I don't know. It was like his presence set my brain on overload as it tried to tell me something. My head screamed, desperately, telling me to remember.

_I stood by an RV looking out towards a city. It was a beautiful view with the sun setting, the sky a canvas of different colours. It was like nothing had actually happened. At that moment, I could forget about the world._

_"What'ch you doin'?" I turned to see Daryl walking towards me._

_I smiled and turned back to the view. "Forgetting."_

_"Forgettin'? What's that suppos'd to mean?" he stood by me now, and I gestured to the city._

_"It's beautiful enough you could almost forget about everything else."_

_He made a grunting noise. "Almost."_

_I turned to him and sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's not that great." I laughed. "I guess I just like to enjoy the little things more then I used to." I shrugged._

_We stood in silnce for a while, and it was nice._

_"Dinner's ready." he nudged me before gesturing towards the fire. "Not much so better get some while you can._

The memory was so vivid, as if I had just relived it. A younger, cleaner Daryl- though not by much. A camp full of people. It had felt like a home, like a place we had felt safe in.

I shook my head, looking away from him. I couldn't afford to be distracted. We were hunting, and I was supposed to be helping.

I started to look around, and before long I caught sight of some tracks. Following the trail I noticed Daryl was right behind me, watching what I was doing.

"You know what you doin'?" I could hear the amusement in his voice.

Looking up I could see a rabbit not too far ahead of us. Grabbing my knife and readying it, I took a deep breath in before throwing my knife at the creature. The blade slicing right through it's body, killing it in an instant.

Walking towards the dead rabbit I shrugger. "I'm killing Thumper... what are  _you_  doing?" I turned to him, grinning cheekily.

He just shook his head before looking around.

"Over there." he gestured slightly behind me. I turned and saw a cabin. "Might be some food in there."

I nodded, following as he headed towards the wooden house that looked as if it would fall apart any moment.

**RPOV**

I walked back into the cell, looking for Carl and Vickie. I hadn't seen either of them for a while and I just wanted to make sure they were okay. Heading up the stairs and towards their cell I found only Carl in there, sitting on his bed reading a comic.

"Where's your sister?"

He shrugged, putting the comic down so he could look at me. "She went with Daryl."

"She what?" I groaned.

"Daryl went hunting and Vickie went with him." he shrugged again. "Is that okay?"

I shook my head, leaning one hand on the bars of the door. "Your sister's been alone for eight months. She's unpredictable. She should be here so we can keep an eye on her so she's okay."

Carl sat up, frowing. "Don't you think she's safe with Daryl?"

"Carl, it's not that easy-"

"Why not?" he interupted. "You remember what she was like back at Atlanta? Then when we were on the farm? She was so happy, even if everything was falling apart. All of that's because of Daryl. If it wasn't for him, Vickie might not even be here. She's safer with him than anyone else." he snapped before pushing past me.

I had never thought about it like that. I had just wanted to keep her safe, keep my family safe. I was afraid that with her memories gone, if Daryl were to go in the picture she'd leave us behind... leave me behind.

But Carl was right. If anyone was going to help get Vickie's memory back, it would be Daryl.

**VPOV**

The good news was the cabin had a few tins of food in the kitchen. The bad news was, when we were about to leave a group of walkers seemed to make themselves at home outside... keeping us locked inside until they moved on.

Daryl settled into the day bed by the window closest to the front door. He knew that as soon as the walkers were gone we'd need to move on before it was too late. So he was keeping watch.

Me on the other hand, I was doing nothing. After stuffing the cans into my bag I had suggested I go look around the house for anything useful. But Daryl had simply said no. Then he went on to explain that he wanted me close by just in case we had to leave suddenly.

It made sense. Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that he was just covering up for something else...

I watched him carefull, noting every movement each muscle made as he ever so slightly move to get a better look. Everything was done perfectly, no mistakes, no mishaps. It was as if he'd done this dozens of times, watching, waiting, ready for anything.

As I continued to stare at him I tried to figure out who he was to me. Since remembering that memory earlier, I had wanted to find out more. I didn't feel right not knowing everything. So I was going to use this time to try and figure it all out.

"You gonna keep staring at me like tha'?" he grumbled from his spot.

I shifted slightly, not realising he knew I was watching him. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to remember things." pausing for a moment I added. "Do you think you could tell me some things?"

He grunted. "Like what?"

Shrugging I replied. "Like anything. I don't mind."

"I remember the first time I met you. I got back to camp and Rick had to tell me he left my brother handcuffed to a roof. We got into a fight, but you still walked up to us and took my knife from me." he scoffed. "I wanted to kill you all, especially you. Pretty girl thinks she can take away my knife?

"It wasn't until your dad agreed to go back to the city to get Merle- my brother- that I thought you weren't that bad. You stood up and volunteered, didn't even care what people said or thought." shaking his head he went on. "Knew you were tough right away. But Rick and Shane wouldn't let you go..."

"Carol told me about that night... the camp was ambushed by walkers." I added. "She said you helped us..."

He looked over at me. "I helped you. You were on the roof of my pick up, the others were at the RV. Our group came back just in time. I saw you there, walkers trying to get to you. I jumped on to the back of the pick up and killed the walkers.

"When they were all dead you jumped off the roof and hugged me. You cried against my shoulder. I told you it would bo okay; that you were safe. You pulled me closer and kept crying until your dad called your name." he shrugged.

I couldn't remember the night, but hearing what happened brought feelings up that seemed to make me believe him. It wasn't that I thought he would lie, it was just the fact he was acting so casually made it seem as if nothing actually happened.

Yet I had hugged him. He had saved my life, and I had hugged him.

He turned back to the window, and I continued to watch him. Slowly a realization came to mind and it was like I was slammed with reality.

"Did I love you?"

**  
**

**Chapter 12**

**Something Old or Something New?**

**VPOV**

"Did I love you?"

Daryl slowly turned to look at me, his eyes searching my face as he tried to figure out if he had heard me right. I waited, allowing him to figure it out.

Then he answered. "Yeah, I think you did."

I nodded. "Did you love me?"

"Still do." he shrugged, looking back out the window.

I stood from where I was sitting and walked over to him. "You still love me? Why?"

He pushed himself up and moved closer to me until I was pressed against the wall. "'Cause nothin' else makes sense."

His vice was so normal as if trying to tell me the emotions in his eyes were lying. Yet looking into them I could see how he felt. How being this close to me was building fire inside of him, which he was fighting back in order not to scare me. I could see how his hands itched to touch me, to run over my skin. Looking into his eyes I could tell he meant it; and I could feel something inside of me calling out, screaming that I felt the same way.

I don't remember who moved first, but suddenly our lips were pressed together. The kiss deepened, my arms wrapping around his neck and his hands rested on my waist.

Electircity ran through my body as he continued to kiss me. His lips moulded perfectly against mine. He wasn't too soft or too hard, it was like he knew exactly how to kiss me. Like he had done it a thousand times.

My body pulled him closer without me realizing. We both reacted to each other as if our bodies had been aching for this. My mind spun as fog clouded my mind. Nothing made sense except that I knew I never wanted to let him go.

A moan escaped my lips and he growled, pushing against me slightly as he pulled me up the wall until my legs wrapped around him.

He moved his lips away, looking into my eyes as if he just realized what we were doing.

"Don't stop." I whispered, neverous about what would happen, but wanting him anyway.

He just shook his head, and placed me on the ground. "I'm not that kind of person."

"What kind of person?"

"The one who takes advantage of a gir'."

"But I want to. It's not taking advantage of me if I want it too."

He shook his head. "You don't even know me."

I thought about it for a moment, watching him as he continued to look away from me. "I want to get to know you."

He looked up at me then. "What, like start over?"

I nodded. "Maybe it'll help me remember." I shrugged.

He nodded in reply, thought didn't say anything.

"Look, I know how I feel. I may not understand why I feel the way I do, and I may not remember why. But you mean a lot to me Daryl, and I want to... I want to be with you. You make me feel happy and safe and better than anyone else makes me feel."

He leaned forward and kissed me again, but this time it was quick and gentle. "We get to know each other. But I won't be able to stop being with you now that we've done this."

"Then we'll take it slow-ish?" I suggested.

He nodded, grunting his response.

Looking over my shoulder I glanced out the window, seeing that the walkers were gone. "We should probably get going."

He stepped back, nodding as he grabbed his things. "Your parents are probably worried about you by now anyway." before I walked out the door, he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer, kissing me once more. As he stepped back he grinned at my blushing cheeks.

**DPOV**

Vic laughed. "No way, I can't imagine it."

I just shrugged. "Everything was good. We were at the CDC. Thought we were gonna be safe."

"But Glenn, drunk? No way." she kept laughing.

I grinned. "He liked ya too. Glenn, T-Dog and me, we went to your room. It was Glenn's idea. Just talk and drink. But Lori walked in. You should have seen her face."

She stopped half way up the hill in the field of the prison, trying to calm her laughing. "Did you guys get in trouble?"

I just shook my head, standing in front of her. "We got out of there 'fore she said anything." she laughed again and I stepped forward. "I missed that."

"What?" she asked, her laughs slowly calming down.

"Your laugh."

Her laughs died as she looked up at me, a smile still on her lips. Leaning forward she kissed me softly, as if she was hoping for more. I kissed her back, my hand grabbing her arm gently as I pulled her closer to me. I let go of her and her hands slid up so they rested on my shoulders. I pulled her legs up around me, my hands keeping her in place by holding her thighs.

She grinned against my lips as I walked us up the hill. With her bag on her back, and my cross-bow and a rope- with a few small animals tied on it that we had killed- on my back, we were slightly imbalanced.

Pulling back from the kiss she looked down at me, still grinning. "We keep walking like this and one of us is gonna end up on their ass."

I shrugged, amused at the fact she cursed- which was rare. "Not lettin' ya go."

"People will see us." she noted with a playful tone.

"Don' care what they think."

"You not scared of big bad Carl?"

"I think I can take him." she laughed at my comment.

Suddenly we heard the sound of the door to the prison opening. I put her down as Maggie, Glenn, Carol and Carl walked out. Carl came running up to Vic, smiling but seeming clueless about how I had been holding his sister just moments ago.

"You get anything for us?" he asked as he slowed to stand in front of Vic and me.

I pulled the rope off my shoulder where two rabits, five squirels and one o'possum were tied. "Got some tins too. Vic and I found a cabin."

The others joined us just then, and Carol noticed the animals. "I'll go get the others. We can eat out tonight, like we did the first night here." she smiled before walking back to the prison.

"Glenn, gimme a hand settin' the fire up." I handed Vic the animals before walking off with Glenn and Carl following. I looked over my shoulder, noticing the look Maggie was giving me. I knew then she had seen us.  _Cats out of the bag now._

**VPOV**

Everyone else started coming out of the prison. Before we knew it, everyone was workng on setting up a camp fire. Daryl, Theodore, Glenn and Rick worked on the logs. Lori, Carol and Beth got some food from inside and made sure Hershel had something to eat. Carl, Maggie and myself set up seats and blankets for everyone to sit around the fire.

When it was all ready we put the food on the fire and sat around the warm flames.

Beth stayed inside with her father. Carl was on my left, Lori next to him. Daryl was on my right, then Theadore, Carol, Glenn, Maggie and lastly, Rick.

As the night went by, we ate and talked and everything seemed to be perfect. I had my family, I had loved ones, everything was falling into place. We laughed and we had fun. It was the best night I had in a long time.

It got colder and I found myself moving closer to Daryl for warmth.

He grabbed a blanket and warpped it around me. I moved it slightly so he got some as well as I rested my head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around my back, pulling me closer.

Looking up at him, I smiled. "I'm glad I went hunting with you today."

He nodded. "Me too."

 

...

 

I walked back to the prison with Carl. It was late and he wanted me to go back to our cell with him. As much as I wanted to stay behind to talk to Daryl a little more, I wasn't going to say no to Carl. He was my little brother after all.

So we walked in silence as he yawned and tried to pretend he was wide awake so he could stay up longer. But we both knew Lori wasn't going to let him.

When we finally got to our room he collapsed on his bed and in moments he was asleep. I had been on my own bed, waiting for his breathing to become even, so I knew he was asleep, before I could leave.

As I walked out of the room I saw Daryl walking into the cell block.

Everyone else was in their cells, more than likely sleeping. Rick was the only other person still awake, but he was outside still.

Daryl walked up the stairs and met me on the perch by his things. He placed his crossbow down, keeping his eyes on me as I sat down on his blanket.

I looked up at him, my eyes telling him to join me. But we didn't speak. We didn't need to. I had learnt that we could read each other without words. He crouched down before sitting next to me, though he was on his bed. I moved closer resting my head on his shoulder and holding his hand, playing with his fingers.

"Talk to me." I whispered, shifting so my knees rested on his thigh.

"'Bout what?"

I shrugged. "Tell me about the farm." I smiled, looking up at him with my head still on his shoulder. "I've been told a little bit, but I wanna know more."

"Well, it was big. Lots of fields, some cows. There was this barn- turns out it was full o' walkers. The house was bigger than any house I've ever been in. It was filled with lots of old things. The woods surrounded us, a river not too far away. And when the sun set the fields looked like gold."

I sighed calmly. "It sounds amazing. I wish I could remember it the way you do."

"Do you remember anything about it?"

Nodding I answered. "Everything I remember about the farm seems to be the less amazing parts about it."

There was a silence that fell between us as Daryl shifted slightly.

"You know I want'd to go back for you." his finger rested under my chin as he lifted my head so I looked him in the eye. "I almost went back. But you had made me promise to stay with your family."

I smiled sadly. "I don't blame anyone for leaving me. Carol already told me that you all thought I was dead. I just wish I had found you. At least then I wouldn't have gone through what I did."

He frowned as his hand moved from my chin to my arm. He turned it over and pulled the sleeves up, revealing some of the scars Jason had left. "At least tell me you don't remember what they did to you."

I didn't lie, I knew there was no need to. Daryl was simply worried about me, wanting to protect me from it all. But the truth was, he couldn't keep me safe from the past. "I remember everything."

His fingers ran over one of the scars. "I'll kill them." his hand was so gentle, so delicate. But his words were full of venom and hatred.

I knew I could at least ease that anger a little. "They're already dead."

His eyes snapped up to look at mine. Before he could speak I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his.

He pulled away. "Vic you can talk-"

Shaking my head I pressed my lips against his again, this time harder. "I don't want to talk. I just want you."

He grunted in response before kissing me back just as hungrily. I laid back, pulling him down with me. As I laid on his blanket, with him almost on top of me, I felt all my worries disappear. All that mattered was the sensation which grew inside me the longer I stayed with him.

His hand rested on my hip, sliding under my shirt to touch my skin. I groaned, lifting a leg to wrap around his waist. His tongue slipped into my mouth as he kissed me deeper, and before I knew it our tongues moved together.

Daryl moved so he was closer to me, though it had seemed impossible until he had done it. His hand moved lower, gripping my waist. My fingers pulled at his hair as a desire built in my core. I couldn't remember feeling like this. Like I needed him completely, like nothing else mattered.

"Daryl?"

We froze at the sound of Rick's voice. He couldn't see me as Daryl was blocking his view, but it was obvious Daryl wasn't alone.

Taking his hand off me and turning around he spoke to Rick. "Yeah?"

"I think it's time you say good night." that was all Rick said before I heard him walk into his own cell.

Turning back to me, Daryl ran his hand through his hair. "You should probably go."

I sat up, straightening my shirt. "Are we okay?"

He just shook his head before leaning forward and kissing me gently. "Jus' don't want you gettin' into trouble."

Smiling I stood up, taking a few steps backwards as I kept looking at him. "I'll see you tomorrow Mr. Dixon."

He laid down, watching me go with a smirk. "Night Vic."

"Night."

**  
**

**Chapter 13**

**A Place We Can Live In**

**VPOV**

I woke up with a smile. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this happy. But honestly I couldn't remember a lot of things.

Waking up and getting dressed, I found myself humming happily. Going down stairs and joining the others for breakfast I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Everything was as it should be.

"Morning." I kissed Carl on the head as he ate. He looked up and smiled back, though with a mouth full of food he kept quiet. Moving over to mum I sat down, digging into the bowl of oats that was sitting on the table for me.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked, brushing some hair behind my ear.

I shrugged. "Best sleep in a long while."

She smiled, leaning forward to kiss my forehead. "Glad to hear."

Digging into my food I found myself looking over at Daryl every now and then, noticing the way he watched me carefully. Blushing I looked down at my food, trying to concentrate on breakfast.

"We're going to get Hershel out of bed today. Do you want to help?" mum asked casually.

"That sounds great, mum." I nodded.

Mum dropped her spoon, the metal clanging against the edge of her bowl. Looking up from my food I saw her staring at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I asked, looking around hoping someone would tell me whats going on. But all I got were more wide eyes.

"You've been calling mum Lori since we got here. But you just called her mum..." Carl spoke up.

Looking over at mum I realized what I had said. "Maybe I just needed a good nights sleep before I remembered what to call you." I joked, smiling with a small shrug. I hoped it would ease the tension in the room.

Mum wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, kissing me on the cheek. "I'm glad you slept well then." she smiled.

 

...

 

I headed down the hill towards, Rick, Daryl, Carol and Theodore. They were getting ready to clear the bodies out, and I thought it would be nice to help them. As much as I said I'd help mum and Beth get Hershel up, I didn't want to do the breakfast dishes so I'd join them later.

"Good." Daryl spoke to Rick, I had obviously only caught one end of the conversation. "Our vehicles camped out there look like a giant vacancy sign." he said as he moved up the hill a little to meet me.

I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Hi." now that Rick knew about us- and I was sure everyone else did too- there wasn't any point on hiding.

"Hey." he grinned, pressing his lips against mine in a soft kiss.

"We need to load up these corpses so we can burn them." Rick said from behind Daryl. Daryl and I turned to the others to see them trying not to look at us, huge smiles on their faces.

Theodore cleared his throat. "Gonna be a long day."

"Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use some help." Carol asked.

Daryl turned, pointing to the guard tower by the gate up on the hill. "Up in the guard tower."

"Guard tower? They were just up there last night." Rick noted, I couldn't help but giggle slightly, knowing what they were probably doing.

"Glenn! Maggie!" Daryl called, stepping away from me slightly.

The door at the top of the guard tower opened after a few seconds, Glenn walked out shirtless. "Hey, what's up, guys?"

Four of us laughed as Daryl called up to them again. "You coming?"

"What?"

Daryl grinned, repeating himself. "You comin'?" I slapped his chest playfully, all of us laughing at how immature it was. Glenn just looked confused, doing his belt up. Givivng up on the joke Daryl called out one last time. "Come on, we could use a hand."

Carol and I chuckled, Daryl's arm coming around my waist. I looked up at him shaking my head, still smiling.

"Hey, Rick."

We all turned to see Theodore looking up the hill. The two prisoners stood there, looking down at us.

Rick started walking up the hill, purpose in his steps. "Come with me." we all followed, Daryl suddenly becoming protective. We walked up the hill, meeting them half way. "That's close enough." Rick told them and they stopped. "We had an agreement."

"Please, mister. We know that." Mustache, who I found out was called Axel, started. Maggie and Glenn walked out of the tower as he went on. "We made a deal. But you gotta understand, we can't live in that place another minute. You follow me? All the bodies, people we knew. Blood, brains everywhere. There's ghosts."

"Why don't you move the bodies out?" Daryl asked him, hands on his hips. I stood to the side of him, close but I knew that if things got bad I could jump in the fight and help without having him get in my way to protect me.

"You should be burning them." Theodore added.

"We tried. We did." Axel answered.

"The fence its down on the far side of the prison. Everytime we drag a body out, those things just line up. Dropping the body and just running back inside." the other guy, Oscar, added.

"Look, we had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothin'." Axel moved forward, my hand went to rest on my knife. "You trying to prove a point? You proved it, bro. We'll do whatever it takes to be apart of your group. Just please, please, don't make us live in that place."

But Rick wasn't budging. "Our deal is non-negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave."

"I told you this was a waste of time. They ain't no different then the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw them out, like... These were good guys. Good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint, like Tomas and Andrew. Now we've all made mistakes to get in here, chief. And I'm not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me, we've paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road than go back into that shithole." Oscar kept his eyes on Rick the whole time, and I honestly believe he had said enough to convince Rick.

Rick turned to Daryl who shook his head, and just like that, their fates were decided.

 

...

 

Rick was talking to Theodore, trying to convince him to agree with the rest of us. But I ignored it. I knew how I felt and it didn't matter what the others thought, I wasn't changing my mind. So instead I watched Daryl as he locked the gate, keeping the prisoners in the section before the last gate.

"You okay?" he asked, coming up to me.

I shrugged. "Does is matter?" he frowed questioningly but I just turned to the others.

"You want them living in a cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons. You want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?" Rick stood close to Theodore, who looked as if he wasn't changing his mind.

"I never stopped." was Theodore's response. "Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves."

"I don't know. Axel seems a little unstable." Glenn noted.

Carol was on Rick's side too. "After all we've been through? We fought so hard for all this, what if they decided to take it?"

"It's just been us for so long. They're strangers. I don't..." Maggie sighed. "It feels weird all of a sudden having other people around."

"You brought us in." Theodore argued.

"Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in youre arms. Didn't give us a choice."

"They can't even kill walkers." Glenn had good points, yet nothing was changing Theodore's mind.

I sighed, speaking up. "I don't trust them. Last time I trusted strangers I nearly died. I'm not making the same mistake." I shrugged, all eyes turned to me.

Carol went on, nodding at my words. "Their convicts, bottom line."

"Those two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do." Theodore's words made me think of the night I had killed Jason and all those men. Ten of them, gone by my hand. I bet no one else here had killed that many people.

"I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They're degenerates, but they ain't psychos. I could have been in there with them just as easily as I'm out here with you guys." Daryl stood beside me, talking to the others, yet he had moved closer to me after I had spoken.

"So are you with me?" Theodore took Daryl's words as a sign to let them join us, but he was wrong.

"Hell no. Let them take their chances out on the road just like we did."

I was over it. I knew there was nothing tht would change Theadore's mind, so I walked off. They could stand around and argue about it all day, but I knew there was things that had to be done. So I headed up the hill, going to go help mum and Beth with Hershel.

**DPOV**

Rick walked up to me once the group moved off to do what they needed. I stayed where I was, ready for whatever he was going to say. I had a feeling that he wanted me to be careful with Vic, keep things slow. He did just get her back, so I understood if that's what he wanted.

"Vickie." he started, looking towards the prison. "I want you to watch out for her. I know the reason she's happier today is because of you, and I appreciate everything you do for her." he sighed. "But I'm worried. We don't know what happened to her, and whatever it was I think she's still haunted by it. So watch her, make sure she's alright."

"Have you seen the scars?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "You?"

"I saw her arm. There were a few scars, but from the way Maggie and Lori were talkin' it's not as bad as everywhere else."

"I talked to Lori about it. She told me they're all over her stomach and chest and her sides. They're deep too."

Whoever touched her, cut her. I wished she hadn't of killed them so if we ran into them I could kill them myself. I wanted to know for sure they got what they deserved. How could anyone hurt someone like Vic? She was the kindest person I knew. She had been through so much, yet she always came back stronger than ever.

"I'll take care of 'er."

**VPOV**

Sitting on the stairs with Carl I rested my head on the railing, letting my fingers run through my hair. "I wish I had a brush." I sighed.

Carl chuckled, looking up from his gun at me. "You always liked brushing your hair."

"Really?" I couldn't remember that. It seemed so strange. I only wanted to brush my hair now because it was tangled and messy.

Carl nodded, going back to his gun. "Whenever you got stressed out you'd brush your hair and then you'd feel better. You lost your brush at the CDC, but Daryl found one for you. When you were gone, he had your things with him the whole time. Eventually we lost most of your stuff, we all lost stuff along the way. But he always kept your brush. It's probably still with his things."

I stood up, about to go to his bag by his bed on the perch. Just then Beth and mum came back in with crutches, so I decided to go back to it later and instead move to Hershel's room to help.

"All right." mum came in behind me, standing by the edge of the bed while I stuck to the corner.

Hershel moved, sitting up. He was slow and careful and I remembered how I had been the night after Jason...

"Just take your time." mum's voice got my attention before I could fall into the memory.

Hershel was at the edge now, Beth ready to catch him. "Daddy, don't push yourself."

But Hershel just gave a small chuckle. "What else am I going to do?" he asked as he rose from the bed. "I can't stand looking up at the bottom of that bunk any longer..." he swayed on the crutches and I was behind him in an instant, helping the others keep him balanced. Once he was okay he took a few steps forward, walking strong and confident. "You know, I thinkg I'm pretty steady." he said before taking a few more steps until he was out of the cell.

"That's a good start. Want to take a rest?" mum asked him, still by his side.

"Rest." Hershel chuckled once more. "Let's go for a little stroll."

I stayed behind him, grinning as mum and Beh shared a worried look. But I knew there wasn't anything to worry about. Hershel was a tough man. He was a rock, and I knew he would push through this.

We made our way to the exit doors. I stayed one step behind at all times just in case. As we made it out, it seemed okay, so with Beth and Carl now at the back, I moved to stand in front. I didn't want Hershel to fall, but if he did I wasn't letting him fall on mum, especially not when she's pregnant.

With my hand on his chest to keep him steady, we slowly descended the few steps. "Don't fall on me, okay." I grinned. "Daryl might get the wrong idea." Hershel just chuckled at me, still moving slowly and carefully.

"Just take your time, daddy."

Hershel lost his balnce slightly, but I was right there, keeping him standing. When he was okay once more we kept moving, and finally got off the last step.

Once he was done with the steps he moved a little faster, confident with flat land. "You cleared all those bodies out?" he looked around the court yard, Maggie, Carol and Theodore were moving the cars around. "It's starting to look like a place we could really live in."

"Hey you watch your step. Last thing we need is you falling." mum told him back at his side.

"Alright Hershel!" Glenn called. He was down by the furthest fence, coming back into the prison with Rick and Daryl.

"You're doing great, daddy." Beth smiled at her dad.

Carl grinned, looking up at the old man. "You ready to race Hershel?"

"Give me another day. I'll take you on." Hershel looked down at my brother, smiling.

We came to stand by the fence, looking down at Rick, Glenn and Daryl who held logs for fire wood. I grinned, moving to be next to Carl, my eyes locked on Daryl. Maggie walked a few steps closer, smiling from ear to ear as she looked at the five of us, her dad finally up and walking.

It was a perfect moment. There was a comfortable silence that fell over everyone as we all realized this was our new home. We were going to be okay. We had each other and all was well.

Of course, that never lasts long in a world like this.

I heard the growling before Carl called out. "Walkers! Look out!"

**  
**

**Chapter 14**

**Chaos**

**DPOV**

I saw Carl turn, Vic's eyes go wide. That's when we heard the yelling as the others started to panic.

"No!" Rick yelled, both of us running for the gates.

Gun shots and shouts, my pulse was pounding as I listened to the others fight against the walkers. More and more filling into the court yard.

"Victoria!" I yelled, seeing her walk towards the walkers, ready to defend the others.

Glenn had to close the fence up to keep more walkers from getting in, but Rick and I kept running.

"Get out of there! Now!" Rick shouted. "Lori!"

My feet slammed against the ground, I had never ran this fast before in my life. By now I couldn't see Victoria. She must have moved further in to kill more walkers. But I could see the others as they shot and stabbed walkers that came from different dirrections.

"Go! Come in here!" Rick and I went around a corner, running hard and fast. It wasn't until we neared the next corner, Rick ahead of me, that he remembered the gate was locked. "The lock, hurry up!"

"Keys?" I yelled to Glenn who threw them to me.

"Keys! Throw it!" Rick called just before I tossed the keys to him. With the keys now in his hands he ran again, getting to the gate before Glenn or me. "Come on!" he yelled to himself, trying to unlock the gate.

I looked up at the others, most of them out of sight. "Come on, come on, come on." if anything happened to Vic I'd never forgive myself. After just getting her back, I couldn't lose her again.

Finally Rick got the gate open, all of us running through. "Get out of my way!" he snapped at the convicts, moving to the next gate.

"Come on! Come on, come on!" I repeated.

Rick got the gate open and we bolted for it, not bothering closing the gate. All that mattered now was the others.

We got to the last gate, Rick taking the chain off it. "Let's go. Pull it!" he yelled before the three of us ran in, killing the walkers that the others hadn't gotten. "What the hell happened?"

"The gate was open!" Beth stood with Hershel safe behind a fence.

"Wheres Lori, Vickie, Carl, everyone else?" Rick cared about everyone, but his family was his main concern.

I shoved my knife into the skull of a walker. As it fell I looked around for Vic while moving to the next walker.

"Maggie led Lori, Carl and Vickie into C block." Hershel answered.

"And T was bit." Beth added.

T-Dog... I just hoped someone got to him and saved him before it was too late. He may have dropped the key up on that rooftop with Merle, but he was a good guy. A friend.

"Anyone else?" Rick stayed by Hershel and Beth while Glenn and I worked on the walkers.

"I couldn't tell."

"Stay put." Rick shot the walker I was about to kill, then came to join me as we ran towards the C block.

Glenn ran up to us, coming from the chained up courtyard that had been opened. "Those chains didn't break on their own. Someone took an axe or cutters to them." Rick turned to the convicts who were walking into the yard. "You think they did it?"

"Who else?" Rick answered before the sound of alarms blaring ran throughout the place.

"What is that?"

"Oh," I groaned. "You gotta be kidding me!" the alarms drew more walkers towards the prison, slowly they lined up against the fences pushing against it to get in.

I moved towards the prisoners. "Daryl." Rick threw me the keys before he and Glenn started shooting the speakers. I raised my crossbow at the convicts. With the speakers gone Rick rushed over to them, gun raised. "How can this be happening?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... It has to be the backup generators." Oscar answered.

"Well how do you turn those on?" Rick yelled.

Oscar stuttered. "There's three that's connected to a diesel tank, okay? Each one controls a certain part of the prison. The hacks shut them all off when the prison was overrun."

"Can someone open up the main gates electronically with full power?" Rick gestured to the gates with his gun.

"I only worked in there a few days. I guess it might be possible." Oscar shrugged.

Rick grabbed his shirt. "Come with us!"

"Let's go!" I yelled as we all ran towards the C block. "You think they're okay?" I asked rick as we ran in.

"They better be." he glared at the convicts.

**VPOV**

Chaos. That's the one word I could use to describe how everything felt. Walkers filed into the court yard, moving towards us. My main priority was to protect everyone else. So I moved forward right away, killing any walker I could get my hands on.

Gun shots going off in different directions. People moving to join the fight. Before I knew it everyone was killing walkers.

"Daddy, behind you!" I spun at the sound of Beth's destressted voice.

A walker was climbing up the stairs behind Hershel. I ran and shoved my knife into the walker's skull before letting it drop to the ground. Without a word I moved to mum and Carl.

"Lori, here!" Maggie called from the walkway leading to the C block.

I grabbed Carl's arm. "Come on, we gotta go." I told mum and Carl as we ran towards Maggie.

Mum closed the gate behind us before we moved towards the door to enter the prison. One by one we rushed in, Maggie in front. We followed her as she made her way towards the cells, but just as we neared the gate more walker's appeared.

"No, this way." she turned on her heels before we all rushed towards the tombs, Maggie closing the gate behind us.

 

...

 

We walked through the maze of halls and rooms that made up the tombs. Carl took the front while I took the back, Maggie stayed with mum.

Suddenly mum rested against the wall, groaning.

Maggie was by her instantly. "Can you keep up?"

But mum shook her head. "Something's not right."

"Are you bit?" Carl's voice was panicked and worried.

"No, no, no." mum groaned. "I think the baby's coming."

"Now!?" I had my back to them, keeping an eye on the way we came. The thought of mum giving birth now, was just another nightmare added to the situation we were dealing with now.

"Mum?" I looked over at Carl and for the first time in a while he looked like a little boy.

The sound of walkers snarling caught my attention as they came from the way we were heading. "Carl! We gotta go!"

Carl lifted his gun but Magie stopped him as she helped mum. "No, there's no time. Turn back. Go!"

We started going back the way we had came. Carl was a the front still, his gun raised. I kept to the back, ready to kill walkers if it meant the others got away.

Looking over my shoulder every now and then I noticed the shadows of walkers on a wall, heading towards us. Carl saw them too and so he started to lead us down a different path, staying focused.

Suddenly a walker pushed it's way towards me, before I could move away it had me pinned on the ground, it's jaw snapping at my face.

"Vickie!" Maggie moved to help me.

I shook my head as I struggled against the walker. I could see more getting closer and I could risk the others getting caught. "Keep going!" I yelled at them. After a moments hesitation Maggie grabbed mum's arm and before I knew it they were gone.

Grunting I quickly shoved my knife into the walker's skull and got up on my feet before moving on, trying to stay in front of all the walkers.

I was happy Maggie, mum and Carl hadn't stopped- with mum the way she was. But as I went to catch up I couldn't seem to find them. I was lost and alone in the tombs...

**MPOV**

We rushed into the room Carl had told us to go in. As I helped Lori down the few stairs I noticed Vickie wasn't with us.

"Where's Vickie?" I asked Carl. She should have caught up by now...

He shrugged. "I didn't see her out there."

Lori groaned in pain, turning to go back up the stairs. "We have to go find her."

But I shook my head, stopping her from leaving. "If anyone can survive out there it's Vickie. Right now you have to focus on your baby."

"She is my baby!" Lori was in obvious pain, and she was fighting against it all in order to find her daughter. I could see how broken she was, worried about the child she had only just gotten back. But nether the less, I couldn't let her just walk out, not with walkers roaming around freely.

Carl came to join us, just having finished checking the room for walkers. "Maggie's right mum. You cant go out there. Vickie will be fine."

Lori held on to chains that were bolted to a wall, trying to stay standing as the pain just seemed to get worse. "What are those alarms?" she grunted.

"Don't worry about it." I told her as we moved further into the room.

"What if it attracts them?" Carl said before following us.

I didn't mean to ignore him, but I had to make sure Lori was okay. She was my main priority. "Lori, let's lay you down."

She shook her head, leaning against a bench. "No, the baby's coming now."

"W-we have to get back to our cell block and have Hershel help." Carl spoke up.

"No." I sighed. "We can't risk getting caught out there. You're gonna need to give birth to this baby here."

Lori's breaths were coming out short. "Great." she sighed. Suddenly she started panting hard, making Carl worry even more.

"What is she doing? Can't she breathe?"

"She's fine. Come here, let's get your pants off." I told Lori.

"Okay."she breathed. "Okay."

I got her lying on the ground as I started taking her pants off. Looking up at Carl I said. "You're gonna need to help deliver you brother or sister. You up for it?

He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out so he simply nodded.

"I'll do an exam. Let me see if you're dilated." I pulled her pants all the way off now.

She nodded. "Okay."

Carl looked skeptic and worried. "Do you know how?"

"Dad taught me, but trust me, it's my first time." I answered before checking. But I had no clue. "I can't tell."

Lori spoke up, her voice strong. "I gotta push."

"Okay." I nodded, helping her up.

"I gotta push." she repeated. "I got it." huffing she got up and grabbed on to the wall where she positioned herself. Breathing in and out she prepared herself before grunting and pushing. "Somebody!" she cried. I grabbed her hand for support and she nodded. "I'm okay, I'm okay."

"Okay." I let go of her hand.

"I'm okay." she repeated.

"You're doing great, Lori. Just keep doing it. Your body knows what to do. Let it do all the work." I rubbed her back to soothe some of the pain, offering encouraging words to help ease and calm her.

She yelped as she pushed.

"You're doing great." I reassured her.

Taking a few more deep breaths she got ready and then pushed, grunting in the process.

But something was wrong. The baby wasn't coming out and she was bleeding. "Lori, stop. Don't push. Something's wrong."

Lori let out a ear piercing scream.

I removed my hand, only to see it covered in blood...

**  
**

**Chapter 15**

**Goodnight Love**

**DPOV**

Rick, Oscar and me made our way through the tombs before getting to the generator room. We had a number of walkers on our tail, their snarls practically in my ear.

Rick shot a walker as I opened the door, all three of us piling in. "Daryl, get the door." he yelled.

I pushed myself against the door, fighting off the walkers. They had been too close and we now couldn't shut the door. Oscar helped, his added body weight doing a lot more than if I was on my own.

Rick moved to the generators, needing to turn them off. "How do you shut these things down?" he yelled.

"Go help. I got it." I grunted before Oscar went ot help Rick.

The walkers were pushing against the door, their snarls and groans getting louder as more and more of them joined the rest, adding preasure to the door. But I wasn't going to let the others down. There was no way I was letting this door open.

I could hear a commotion going on, but with the generators in my way I couldn't see what was happening. A gun shot went off, and that's when I started to worry.

Stepping away from the door and quickly grabbing my crossbow I let the first walker come in and shot it in the head. I moved to the second, shoving my knife into it's skull before backing it up until it was outside of the room, pushing the other walkers back at the same time. Rushing back into the room, I slammed the door closed.

I moved around and saw Oscar holding Rick's gun, aiming it towards Rick and Andrew...

"Shoot him! We can take back this prison." Andrew puffed, getting off the ground. When Oscar did nothing he went on. "What you waiting for? Do it! It's our house. Shoot him!"

Oscar moved the gun over slightly, pulling the trigger. Andrew fell to the ground.

With my knife out, ready to kill Oscar, I walked closer slowly and carefully as he kept the gun raised. He was going down before Rick, I knew that for sure. Without flinching, he turned the gun around, and handed it back to Rick who then turned the alarms off.

"Let's go." Rick sighed before we got ready to head out.

Now there was only one thing I needed to do. Find Vic.

**VPOV**

I was hiding in one of the cells. I could hear a few walkers moving past every now and then, but none of them took any notice of the room. I kept as quiet as possible.

I had a plan, of course. I just had to wait for the heard to die down. I was going to grab a walker and kill it before pulling it in and covering myself with it's blood. For months I had walked in and out of the prison with walker blood as my cover. So why not now?

Listening carefully I heard the sound of a single walker shuffling down the corridor. Taking a few deep breaths I got ready.

I sprung out of the room, knife in the air. Shoving the blade into the walker's head. It quickly died and without hesitation I dragged it into the room.

The smell was over bearing, something I must not of cared about before. But as much as it seemed to make my stomach turn, I knew my family was out there somewhere and I wasn't going to lose them again.

So, using my knife, I cut the walker in several places, smearing the blood all over me.

When I was sure I had done a good enough job I left the walker where it was and walked out of the cell, into the corridor. Looking up and down I quickly made a decision as to which way I'd go before I turned to my left.

**LPOV**

Maggie lifted my shirt to look at my stomach.

"You see my old C-section scar?"

Shaking her head she said. "I can't."

"You can. You have to." I breathed. Looking over at my son I told him, "Carl, baby, I don't want you to be scared, okay? This is what I want. This is right. Now you take care of your dad and Vickie for me, all right? And your little brother or sister, you take care-"

He shook his head. "You don't have to do this."

"You're gonna be fine." I smiled reassuringly at him. "You are gonna beat this world. I know you will. You are smart, and you are strong, and you are so brave, and I love you."

"I love you, too." he sobbed.

Looking up at him I went on. "You gotta do what's right, baby. You promise me, you'll always do what's right. It's so easy to do the wrong thing in this world. So don't...So if it feels wrong, don't do it, all right? If it feels easy, don't do it. Don't let the world spoil you." I wiped away his tears. "You're so good." I smiled. "You're my sweet boy. And I love you." I cried, pulling him down for a hug.

It pained me to think Vickie was out there alone, and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. The first time we had lost her I had spent countless nights awake, looking up at the sky wondering if my baby was alive, if she was looking up at the same night sky as I was.

When we had lost her after the farm, everyone had been sure she was dead. But I didnt believe it, I couldn't. After she had come back the first time I realised I had known all along that she was still out there somewhere, and the second time was exactly the same.

But now, she was losing me. No goodbyes. No hugs. Nothing. And it broke my heart.

"I love you." I cried, holding Carl closer to me. "My sweet, sweet boy. I love you." I kissed his head before letting go. "Okay, okay, now. Okay." I grunted. "Maggie, when this is over you're gonna have to-"

"Shh." she shook her head, crying as well.

"You have to do it. It can't be Rick." I told her, holding on to Carl's hand. "I need- I need you to tell your sister I'm sorry and that I love her so much. Promise me you'll make sure she keeps getting better. Don't let this ruin her." I told him.

He nodded. "I promise mum."

I sighed. "All right, all right. It's all right. It's all right." I exhaled as Carl handed his knife to Maggie. "Good night, love."

"I'm sorry." Maggie said before the sharp pain of my stomach being cut opened caused a scream to leave my lips, my whole body filling with pain.

"No!" Carl cried as I screamed again. "What are you doing to her?"

_"It's a girl." the doctor handed me my baby as I laid on the hospital bed, Rick beside me._

_I looked down at her, her blue eyes looking up at me. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. So delicate and fragile._

_"We made this." I smiled up at Rick. "Look at how beautiful she is." my eyes moved back to my baby as a tear fell from my eye._

_His hand moved towards her, and she grabbed his finger, her tiny hand so small compared to his long finger. "What should we call her?" he smiled._

_"How about Victoria?"_

_He nodded. "It's perfect." he kissed my forehead before looking back down at her. "Don't you worry Victoria, we'll always keep you safe."_

_I kissed her head. "My presious baby girl. I love you so much."_

**VPOV**

_"Good night, love."_

I froze in the middle of the tombs, my mum's voice whispering in my ear. I knew I was alone, yet I was sure it had been her.

"Mum?" I whispered, looking down the corridor to see if she was there.

I could feel there was something wrong. I couldn't explain it but somehow I knew something bad had happened.  _There's nothing I can do until I find them._  I thought to myself before I kept making my way through the tombs. I just wished she was okay.

I walked around the corner, and couldn't believe my eyes. There was a door, open, sun light pouring in. Relief flooded me. I was going to be alright.

I cautiously made my way to the door, but as I got closer I realized where I was. It was the door by the courtyard gate. I must have walked all the way around the prison.

"Vickie!"

I looked to my left to see Beth and Hershel behind a gate, safe from any walkers that might be left. But from the looks of the place it seemed as if all the walkers were dead.

"Where's Maggie, Lori and Carl?" Hershel asked as I moved towards them.

Walking up the steps I shook my head. "I lost them. Got pinned down by a walker." I sighed. "Where are the others?"

"Rick, Daryl, Glenn and the two prisoners went inside to shut the genarators off and to find everyone."

I nodded, leaning against the wall, but staying alert.

Hershel looked me up and down. "What happened to you. You look-"

"Like I did when you found me here?" I sighed, nodding. "Had to kill a walker and use it's blood to be able to walk around in there."

"Vickie!?"

I turned to look at the door where I had come out of. Rick, Daryl, Glenn and the prisoners ran out, moving towards us.

"Hershel!" Glenn called.

"You didn't find them?" Hershel asked as I made my way down the stairs.

Daryl dropped his crossbow before wrapping his arms around me, my own moving to rest around his neck. "Are you all right?" he asked, holing me tight and close to him.

I shrugged as Glenn spoke up. "Thought maybe they came back out here."

"What about T? Carol?"

Daryl pulled away slighty, looking at Hershel and shaking his head. "They didn't make it."

Rick turned to us. "That doesn't mean the others didn't."

"Where did you last see them Vickie?" Glenn asked.

I looked over at him a shrugged. "It was near our cell block. But I got pinned down and they kept going. I have no idea where they could be now."

"We're going back. Daryl, Glenn, Vickie, you come with-"

Rick stopped, the sound of a baby mumbling catching everybody's attention.

We all turned to the door that lead to our cell. Maggie and Carl walked out of the gate, a baby in Maggie's hands.

I stepped away from Daryl, taking a few steps towards them as my hand came to rest on my heart. "Where's mum?" I whispered.

But the look on Maggie and Carl's faces told me everything. The blood against their pale skin, Maggie's sobs.

Rick walked towards them, his axe falling out of his grasp. "Where... Where is she? Where is she?" he mumbled, moving around like he had no idea what to do with himself. He moved to walk past them.

Maggie held the baby close to her chest as she reached out to him. "No. Rick, no!"

But he kept going, until his eyes landed on Carl. Thats when he started sobbing.

Carl. He wasn't even crying. He looked broken, no longer a child. Suddenly he seemed ten years older, like he had just had to do something so horrible, so wrong, for a child.

No words were spoken but I knew. The feeling I had in the tombs, it was mum... when she died.

I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. "No, no, no, no, no." I shook my head, rocking back and forth.

Rick looked to Carl. "Oh. No. No!" he sobbed. "No!"

A hand rested on my shoulder and I looked up to see Daryl standing by me. He knelt down, and I rested my head on his shoulders as I cried, his arms wrapping around me.

"Oh! N-n-no" Rick stammered before he fell to the ground, completely and absolutely broken. All you could hear were the sobs coming from Rick, Maggie and myself.

I had never felt so empty before in my life; and I didn't have to have my memories to know that...

**  
**

**Chapter 16**

**Nightmare Memory**

**DPOV**

The baby's crying filled the courtyard, attracting walkers to the fence of the prison. Carl stood motionless, his face blank. Rick knelt on the ground empty. Vic held me to her, her face buried in my shoulder. All of them were filled with pain.

Beth came over to Vickie and me, taking my place as I got up and moved to Rick. Kneeling in front of him I could see just how broken he was. "Rick?" I waved my hand in his face. "Rick, you with me? Rick?"

"Let me see the baby." Hershel called. I stood, seeing Carl now holding the baby as he moved to Hershel.

"What are we gonna feed it? We got anything a baby can eat?" I walked up to Hershel where he stood by Vic.

He looked the baby over. "The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula, and soon, or she won't survive."

I looked down at Vic, seeing her staring at the ground sobbing quietly. She had calmed, but I was worried about her still. "Nope." I shook my head, looking back at the baby. "No way. Not her. We ain't losing nobody else. I'm goin' for a run."

"I'll go to." Maggie said.

"I'll back you up." Glenn added.

"Okay, think where we're going." I told them before turning to Beth. "Beth." I tapped her on the shoulder before gesturing for her to follow. We took a few steps away from the others. "They just lost their mum. Their dad ain't doing so hot." I nodded towards Vic and Carl.

She nodded. "I'll look out for them." she said before going back to Vic.

I pointed to the prisoners. "You two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem." I ordered. "Glenn, Maggie, vamonos."

Maggie gasped. "Rick!" I looked over to see him moving to the cell, an axe in hand. He compleltey ignored her, storming inside.

I shook my head, seeing both Vic and Carl watch their dad head off, both seeming to look even more empty than before. Sighing I went on. "Get the gate." I told the prisoners. "Come on, we're gonna lose the light." I yelled. As much as I wanted to stay with Vic I knew I had to go get baby formula. I just have to take care of her when I got back.

Glenn, Maggie and myself rushed over to the car.

"There's a Piggly Wiggly at 85." Glenn suggested.

"No, the baby section's been cleared." Maggie informed us. "Lori asked me to keep an eye out. I haven't had much luck."

I took my crossbow off. "Is there any place that hasn't been completely looted?"

Glenn turned to me, seeming to know a place. "We saw signs for a shopping center just north of here."

"Yeah, but there's too much debris on the road. A car will never get through there." Maggie noted.

I sighed. "I can take one of ya."

"I'll go." Maggie volunteered.

I turned to my bike as Glenn moved to her, probably ready to talk her out of going. While they talked I looked over at Vic. Beth, Carl and Hershel were looking over the baby, every now and then looking down at Vic.

She looked so empty. I remember the last time I saw her like this, when Dale died. But last time she seemed to be on auto pilot. Now she had just shut down. Staring blankly at the ground, tears falling down her face as she silently cried, every now and then a sob escaping her lips. It broke my heart.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Right now I had a mission to do. So without a second thought I got on my bike and turned it on just as Maggie joined me.

I looked over at Glenn and nodded, hoping he understood that I'd keep her safe. Then we were off.

**VPOV**

I hadn't moved from where I had fallen. Carl had tried to get me up, to move me inside. But I wouldn't move. I  _couldn't_. My body felt heavy, yet empty all at the same Hershel told Beth and Carl to go inside and take care of the baby. He stayed outside though, sitting on the steps, watching me.

Glenn was down in the fields digging holes, and just the thought of my mum, Carol, and Theodore being buried made me choke on another silent sob.

After awhile, I wasn't sure how long, Hershel got up and moved to the fence. He stood there, waiting and before long Glenn joined him, standing on the opposite side of the fence.

They talked, and I noticed that every now and then they'd both look at me. But I didn't care. I wasn't sure I remembered how to care. The only thing I felt was empty and broken and hopeless.

**DPOV**

"Hello dinner." I mumbled against the torch in my mouth as I moved to grab the opossum.

Maggie rolled her eyes, sighing. "I'm not putting that in my bag." she said as she opened on of the cupboards.

I shrugged, grabbing the opossum and holding it for now. "We'll cook it up and eat before we leave."

She nodded, shoving some things into her bag.

We made our way back through the building to the window where we came in through. Once outside I dropped my things and started on a fire. With the ence around the play ground we were safe enough to start a fire without having to worry about walkers- plus it was still day time.

Maggie helped by grabbing something to help build the fire. Eventually she spoke up, breaking the silence. "So why did you volunteer to come and do this? Glenn and I could have done it."

I shrugged. "Why did you come?"

She sighed, staning up and looking at me seriously. "You know what I mean Daryl. Vickie just lost her mum. She's back at the prison with her dad who's lost it, and her younger brother just shot their mum in the head. Yet you decided to come look for baby food. Why?"

I dropped some twigs into a pile. "Because Vic just lost her mum, her dad's lost his mind, her brother is in shock, and she's fallin' apart. There's no way in hell I'm gonna stand there and let her lose her baby sister too." I shrugged, not looking at her as I kept collecting twigs and things.

**VPOV**

_I sat on my bed crying. I had just had a nightmare about a giant bird with six heads, that had tried to eat me like a worm. It had been horrible._

_Mum came in, like she always did. She sat on my bed and my arms flung around her as I cried. Her hand brushed my hair away from my face as she hushed me gently. "It's okay. You're alright."_

_I looked up at her, snot coming out of my nose and tears running down my cheek. "It was scary mummy. It was gonna eat me. It was so scary." I sobbed._

_She simply guided me so I laid down again. Smiling she tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I tell you what. If it comes back, you just call my name and I'll be right there to protect you. Deal?"_

_I nodded slowly, grabbing my stuffed bear. "Okay mummy."_

_She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Good night, love." she whispered as my eyes grew heavy and I fell asleep._

I opened my eyes, finding myself in my cell, lying on the bottom bunk. I remembered sitting outside on the ground, unable to do anything as the pain seemed to grow inside of me with the loss of my mum. Eventually Hershel had told Glenn to try and get me inside.

With the help of Beth and Axel they got me up and slowly moved me towards the cell. My legs had been like jelly, so the move was very slow. Carl had stayed in the room with me for a short time, while Beth took care of the baby. But it just got to the point where he had to go. After a while I simply fell asleep.

I sat up wiping at a tear. It hadn't just been a dream. It had been a memory. Probably one of the earliest memories I had so far... but with my mind still foggy about the past it wasn't hard to be the earliest memory.

I could hear the baby crying from the main room where we ate. Slowly yet eventually I got out of the bed. It was like I was moving for one reason only, to simply get to the baby. She was my sister and all alone in the world. It was my job to take care of her.

My legs felt like jelly, my body heavy. My arms and hands shook as I rested against the railing, making my way to the stairs. One by one my feet touched each steps as I carefully manouvered down to the bottom. When I steadied myself I pushed away from the railing, wobbling to the gate.

Inside the main room I could see Carl holding the baby as she cried, Beth on one side and Hershel on the other. Glenn, Oscar and Axel were no where to be seen, so I figured they were outside. And well I knew Rick was still in the tombs.

Maggie walked in, a bag on back. "Beth." she called her sister before the two of them moved a table and emtied the contents of her bag.

Daryl came in after Maggie, moving to Carl instantly. "How's she doin'?" he said as he knelt in front of my brother, hushing my sister calming.

Carl handed the baby over to Daryl. "It's all right." he told our sister.

Hershel moved over to help Maggie and Beth as Glenn and the prisoners walked in.

I leaned against the wall, inside the cell block, watching Daryl. Beth gave him the bottle before he started feeding the baby. "Shh." he hushed her, the crying stopping. "Come on. Come on." he rocked her back and forth gently and slowly.

It was a sight to see, and it brought a smile to my face.

He chuckled, looking up at the others. "She got a name?" he asked Carl.

Carl shook his head. "N-not yet. But I was thinking, maybe Sophia. Then there's Carol, too. And," he sighed, "Andrea, Amy, Jacqui. Patricia. Or Lori. I don't know." he turned away.

Daryl looked down at the baby as he continued to feed her. "Yeah... you like that? Huh? Little ass-kicker." he looked up grinning. "Right? That's a good name, right?" Everyone laughed. "Little ass-kicker. You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?" he looked up and his eyes landed on me.

I didn't move, just stayed where I was as I watched him.

He handed Little Ass-Kicker to Beth. "Here, take care o' her." he said before moving towards me. He walked into the cell block, resting his hand on my arm as he pulled into him. "You alright?"

I shrugged, taking in comfort from his smell, and his embrace.

"Come on." he stepped back, grabbing my hand. "Let's get you to bed."

I nodded, letting him lead me up the stairs. With my hand in his, my legs weren't as weak as they had been. It was like he gave me strength, made everything better.

**  
**

**Chapter 17**

**Formula Jackpot**

**VPOV**

I opened my eyes, finding myself on the bottom bunk, with my head resting on Daryl's chest. Last night he had brought all his things into the room before we went to bed. Then he had held me as I tried to sleep; and when I finally did my dreams were peaceful and calm.

I looked up at him, seeing him looking down at me. We didn't speak or move. We just stayed how we were, one of his arms around me the other up under his head.

I still felt so empty, so lost. It was sickening. As much as I wanted to enjoy the moment, it just didn't happen. Looking away from him I sat up, running my hand over my face to help wake me up.

His hand rubbed my back. "How are you feelin'?"

I opend my mouth, but it was like the words were stuck in my throat, so I simply shook my head.

He sighed, sitting up next to me, our legs hanging off the bed. "I'm so sorry." he leaned over and kissed my shoulder. "I wish there was something I could do."

I looked over at him hoping he could read what my eyes were telling him, that I knew he was sorry and he wanted to help.

I think he got it, because he gave a half smile, sad yet understanding. "Come on." he got up. "We should go see the graves. Say good bye."

Nodding I stood up and followed him as we made our way to the field, hand in hand.

 

...

 

I sat next to Carl, both of our faces down and full of pain. He just stared at his food, not even touching it, while I moved mine around with my spoon. The thought of eating made my stomach turn.

"Everybody okay?" Rick asked.

The gate door was behind Carl and me, but I didn't turn. I just kept pushing my food around. Even when the gate opened, I didn't move.

"Yeah, we are." Maggie answered him.

I could hear he walk in, his footsteps getting closer.

"What about you?" Hershel asked him.

"I cleared out the boiler block." he answered standing between Carl and Hershel. He looked at my brother and then at me.

"How many were there?" Daryl asked from the steps by the enterance.

Rick thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. A dozen, two dozen." he shrugged. "I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl and Victoria."

Glenn, who was next to me, stood up. "Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies. You don't have to."

This time I did look over at Rick as he answered. "No, I do." he moved over to Daryl. "Everybody have a gun and a knife?"

"Yeah. We're running low on ammo, though."

"Maggie, Vickie and me were planning on doing a run this afternoon. Found a phone book with some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula." Glenn spoke up.

"We cleared out the generator room." Daryl added. "Axel's there trying to fix it in case of emergency. We're gonna sweep the lower levels as well."

Rick nodded. "Good. Good." he said as he moved back into the tombs, closing the gate door behind him.

"Rick!" Hershel called, but all he got in return was the sound of the gate slamming.

I shook my head, pushing my food away before standing up and moving to the cells. I was too angry at Rick to just sit there. So instead I was going to go get ready for when Maggie, Glenn and I would go.

 

...

 

I got into the back of the pick up. Glenn and Maggie were still inside, talking with Hershel. We were about to head off to one of the stores to look for supplies. The only reason I was going was because I didn't want to take the risk of seeing Rick and doing something I'd regret later. I was so mad at him. Not because of what happened to mum, but how he had just up and left. He was supposed to be there for Carl, me and the baby.

Daryl moved towrds me, obviously not happy. "You ain't goin'." he opened the door, eyes staring into mine challenging.

I folded my arms, not moving.

He groaned angrily, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me out; all the while making sure he didn't hurt me.. "I'm not playin', Vic."

"Daryl," we both looked over at Maggie as she came out with Glenn, ready to go. She walked to my door, standing next to Daryl. "We'll take care of her, don't worry." her hand rested on his shoulder reasuringly.

With a sigh he nodded, letting go and moving away from the door. "Fine."

Maggie looked at me, eyes full of sympathy, as she closed the door before getting in the front. "We'll be back soon." she told Daryl, trying to give him hope.

But he just looked at me, his eyes watching as we drove away.

**DPOV**

Oscar, Carl and myself made our way through the tombs, clearing any walkers and bodies. Each of us ready with a number of different weapons.

I was using this time to distract myself. I had nevr liked the idea of Vic going off. Even though I was sure Maggie and Glenn could take care of her I would never know until they got home... or didn't.

"Check it out, man." Oscar's light was pointing at a door that was blocked off by a body. The door opened and closed as much as the body let it. "Must have missed it last night.

"It's probably just one or two of them." I stepped closer to the door, pushing it close slightly to see how the walker would react as I told him, "Don't look they got muchfight. They ain't going no where." I told Oscar as I looked over at Carl. "We'll take care of them on the way back."

Carl looked down and worried. The loss of his mum obviously still getting to him, but now the added fact that his older sister was gone and his dad was doing whatever, everything seemed to be getting to him.

I whistled at him, getting his attention. "Come on." I gestured to follow. As we started walking, I started talking. "You know my mum, she liked her wine. She liked to smoke in bed. Virginia Slims." I told him, leaning over and looking into a room to see it there where walkers inside. Continuing I added. "I was playingout with the kids in the neighbourhood. I could do that with Merle gone.

"They had bikes. I didn't. We heard sirens getting louder. They jumped on their bikes, ran after it, you know," I moved closer to another door, "hoping to see something worth seein'." the door creaked a little. When I was sure it was empty I kept going. "I ran after them, but I couldn't keep up.

"I ran around a corner and saw my friends looking at me. Hell, I saw everybody looking at me. Fire trucks everywhere. People from the neighbourhood." I looked over at him. "It was my house they were there for. And that was my mum in bed, burnt down to nothin'." we kept walking. "That was the hard part. you know, she was just gone. Erased. Nothing left of her. People said it was better that way." I chuckled. "I don't know. Just made it seem like it wasn't real, you know?"

He sighed and I looked back over at him. "I shot my mum. She was out. Hadn't turned yet." he paused before adding, "I ended was real." I looked away, sure he was about to walk off, but he surprised me by saying, "Sorry about your mum."

"I'm sorry about yours." he nodded and I squeezed his shoulder comfortingly before we went on. "Come on."

**VPOV**

We came to a store, stopping the car. Here was as good as anywhere else. Maggie got out of the car, opening the door for me before I joined her. On the other side where he had been drinving, Glenn got out as well, moving to get the bag off of the back seat.

"Clear outside." Maggie noted, just having done a quick look over for any walkers.

"Alright, let's take a look." Glenn nodded, moving to the door.

Maggie walked over to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Hey." he turned to look at her before she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. I looked away getting mixed feeling from seeing them kiss. "It's a beautiful day."

I kept my back to them, looking around. We weren't sure what could be around so I was keeping guard, ready to defend when needed. I heard the chain on the door fall to the ground as Glenn broke it, before the sound of birds swooped over me. I fell to the ground, covering my head, having always been freaked out by birds.

Looking over my shoulder every one seemed fine, Glenn walked into the store disappearing into the dark. Knowing that it was okay I stood, back to buisness.

"Glenn, get that duck." Maggie told him from where she stood outside by the door.

"What?"

Get that duck." she repeated.

He chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. A kid growing up in a prison could use some toys."

I scanned the area over and over, making sure we had the all clear. The last thing we needed was to get stuck in the middle of a herd.

Finally Glenn came out. "We just hit the powered formula jackpot."

"Oh, thank God." Maggie sighed as both of us moved to stand with Glenn.

He showed as everything he had in his basket. "I also got beans, batteries, cocktail wieners, many mustards. It's a straight shot back to the prison from here. Probably make it in time for dinner." Glenn put the baby formula in a different basket, before he took the other stuff to the car.

"I like the quiet. Back there, back home, you can always hear them outside the fence no matter where you are." Maggie grabbed the baby formula basket, moving to the car to stand by Glenn.

I wasn't interested in joining their conversation. I was basically there for silent company. Maggie and Glenn were my best friends, and just being there with them helped me- even if it was only a little.

"And where is it y'all good people are calling home?" a man came out of no where, gun raised towards us.

Glenn and Maggie stood in front of me, their own guns raised. I had my knife out ready to throw.

"Merle?" Glenn's voice was full of surprise.

_Merle? Wasn't that the name of Daryl's brother?_

The man laughed. "Wow!" he put he gun down, moving towards us.

"Hey, back the hell up!" Maggie yelled, keeping me behind her.

The man stuttered. "Okay, okay, honey. Jesus."

"You made it." Glenn's word were spoken as a comment, not a question.

The man nodded. "Can you tell me, is my brother alive? Huh?"

"Yeah." Glenn answered simply.

"Hey, you take me to him, and I'll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings. Huh?" when we didn't answer he looked at his arm, or well if that's what you'd call it. Where his hand should have been there was a metal glove thing that went to his elbow; with a long knife at the end. He laughed. "You like that? Yeah. Well, uh, I found myself a medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself." he laughed again. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Glenn sighed. "We'll tell Daryl you're here, and he'll come out to meet you."

"Oh, oh, oh, hold on. Just hold up." the mad moved towards us slightly.

Glenn backed up, joining Maggie to keep me behind them. "Whoa. Whoa."

"Hold up here. Hold up. Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now. You can trust me."

But Glenn wasn't giving up. "You trust us. You stay here. I could tell that wasn't sitting well with the man, but he tried to chuckle.

There was a long silence and I looked at each person, seeing the tension of the situation.

Suddenly the man reached behind him, pulling out a gun. "No!" he shot towards Maggie.

Maggie grabbed me as we ducked around the car, Glenn going the other way.

A hand grabbed my other wrist before I was pulled towards the man, the gun pressed to my head. "Easy girl, easy there." he cooed.

Glenn came around the corner, gun ready. But he froze, just like Maggie.

"Hey, hey, hold up, buddy, hold up." the man told them, pressing me closer to him.

Glenn and Maggie shared a look, each paniced. "Let go of her, Merle." Glenn warned.

"Let go of her!" Maggie was more pissed than Glenn, her eyes told me she was ready to rip the man apart.

But the man shook his head. "Put your guns in the car right now. Put them in the car, kids." a tear fell down my cheek as I wondered if I was going to come out alive after this; all the while Maggie and Glenn did as he said. "There you go. Now we're gonna go for a little drive."

But Glenn shook his head. "We're not going back to our camp."

"No, we're going somewhere else." the man shrugged. "Get in the car! Glenn, you're driving!" he yelled. "Move!" he pressed the gun against my head harder.

"Don't." Glenn stepped closer, seeing the pain in my eyes, the fear. We all knew the only way I might survive is if we all listened to the man, so with that Glenn sighed. "Okay." he moved to the driver's side.

"Get in! In the front!" he yelled at Maggie, standing us up. "You, get in the back. You ride with me." by now it was obvious that as long as his gun was pressed against my head he had control of both Maggie and Glenn. With that power I had no idea what was in stall for us...

**  
**

**Chapter 18**

**Daryl's Girl?**

**DPOV**

I sat across from the cell I told Oscar we'd go to after we had done the rest of the tombs. I had sent both Carl and Oscar off to do other things, wanting to be alone. I stabbed the concrete ground with my knife as a million things ran through my mind, the sound of the walker pushing on the metal door echoing through the halls.

I was pissed. I should have ran faster, got to Lori before she died so Vic would be okay. I should have made sure the courtyard gate was secure so T-dog hadn't gotten bitten. I should have trained Carol better so she could have killed the walkers and saved herself.

Carol was the loss that hurt me the most. When Vic had been gone, we had gotten closer. After I had done everything in my power to find Sophia, she went out of her way to befriend me. And with Vic gone, we found that we enjoyed each other's company. She was a good friend, a  _great_  friend.

I grunted, looking up from the ground for a moment as the door continued to creak and clang.

 _This walker, all of them. They should be dead. What kind of sick joke is this!? Making us kill things that should already be in the ground, as they hunt us. It's bullshit._ I stabbed the wall as my temper rose.  _Sophia was a good girl. T-dog was a good man. Lori was a good mum. And Carol was a fucking great person!_ Getting off the ground I moved to the door, throwing my leg out and kicking it shut. Frustration, anger and pain exploding outside of me.

Breathing heavily I started walking off, deciding to leave the walker there. Let it starve.

But there was still that chance that it could get out, and we couldn't afford to lose any more people. It would kill us.

So I turned back around, pacing in front of the door as I contemplated if it was the right thing to do. To kill it, and end it's life quick and easy. Or leave it to rot- with the possibility of it getting out...

I put the handle of my knife in my mouth and grabbed the dead walker that was in the way of the door, keeping it from opening properly. Dragging it along the floor, I left it a couple steps away before throwing the door open with a grunt, knife now in my hand ready to kill.

But there was no walker inside. No, instead there sitting on the floor was Carol.

She looked up at me, starving and dehydrated, obviously having no energy to speak or move. I knelt down, my hand brushing her cheek before I sighed in frustration because we had just left her by herself, and let her get this bad.

So I picked her up, and carried her home.

**MPOV**

Merle duct taped me to a chair in a tin room. He already had Glenn in another room, someone else probably tying him down. Right now he had a big African American man standing with Vickie, pointing a gun to her head. He was using her so I didn't attack. It was sick.

"All done. Nice and tight." he stood, grinning at me. "Sorry 'bout this, but we gotta go. Still have one more to deal with." he gestured to Vickie.

I struggled against the tape. "Don't you touch her!" I snapped.

He chuckled. "Protective ain't ya? Hm. Might need to remember that." he shrugged before turning around to the man. "Let's go." they started for the door.

"Wait, please. Just, please don't hurt her. Please. She-she's Daryl's girlfriend."

He stopped and turned his head slightly toward me. "She's Daryl's girl?"

I nodded. "Yes. And if you hurt her, he'll never forgive you." I told him, face straight, hoping he'll let her go if he thought his brother wouldn't like him messing around with her.

But he just opened the door and let the man walk her out. The last thing I saw before I was left alone were her eyes full of fear and panic.

**VPOV**

"I'll take it from here." Merle told the other man as we walked into another tin room.

There was a chair, just like the room where they put Maggie, only there was no table in here. Just a chair, nothing else. It looked quite dawnting, the chair sitting in the middle of the room as if they had known they'd need to tie someone on to it.

He grabbed my arm gently, guiding me to the chair. "Look, now I don't know if what that girl said was true, but if you really are Daryl's girl, then I can't hurt ya. He's my brotha, I wouldn't do that to him. But she could be lyin'."

I sat on the chair without a struggle. There was no point in trying to escape. I had already seen three men with guns around here, and without a weapon of my own I had no chance of getting out and helping Maggie and Glenn before making a break for the prison.

"You don't talk much, do ya?" he grunted with a grin.

I looked away, my eyes on the ground.

"Somethin' happen to ya?" he asked, crouching down in front of me. When I looked him in the eyes, wondering what made him think that he shrugged. "Can see it in your eyes."

I looked away again, a tear rolling down my cheeks.

He pulled out my knife, turning it around in his hand. "Well, if you're his girl it explains why you have his knife. Daryl ain't ever trusted anyone with his things."

I froze. No one had told me my knife had been Daryl's. I didn't even remember how I got the knife, just assumed I found it or my parents gave it to me. Never in a million years did I think I got it from Daryl.

He stood up, putting the knife away. "Tell me where your camp is and I'll bring Daryl back. I'll let you go, you can both stay here, with us. Alls you gotta tell me is where you're stayin'."

I looked up at him glaring. I could tell these men weren't friendy. Merle may have been nice to me since he found out I'm his brother's girlfriend, but before that he was nothing but hostile. I wasn't going to take the chance of telling him so more of my family could get hurt or die. I just kept my mouth closed.

He sighed. "Suit yourself. But whatever happens to you, is your fault." and with that he walked out and closed the door, leaving me alone and scared.

**RPOV**

I stood by the fence, watching the woman as she watched me, the walkers not taking any notice of her because of the blood on her clothes and skin. In her hand she held a shopping basket and from the looks of it, inside was a lot of baby formula... something was wrong.

Carl ran through the gate into the other section in order to help the woman and get her inside.

She looked as if she were in pain, barely standing up. I noticed she pressed her hand to her leg, bringing it back up with blood on it. She was hurt.

The walker on her left sniffed the air, catching the smell of her blood on her hand. He snarled, and we both knew she was now in danger. She backed up from the fence, her eyes going from me to the walker and then back to me. Dropping the basket she got ready to fight, pulling out her sword and readying herself to defend.

The walker that had been next to her moved closer to her, but before it got too close she stabbed it in the head.

"Should we help her?" Carl asked me, obviously worried about the walkers getting to the woman.

Seeing my son like that I knew I couldn't just stand there. Walking over to the first gate, I made my mindup to help her. As I walked around, I could hear her groaning and the walkers snarling.

As I came around the corner I saw her fall to the ground, weak and exhausted. Whatever was making her bleed must be causing a lot of blood loss.

Carl shot the two walkers that were standing over her as he stood where he was before.

"Carl!" I gestured for him to throw me the keys, and he did exactly that. Looking out I saw the walkers getting closer to her unmoving body. "Shit!" I groaned unlocking the gate and opening it.

Once I was outside I took a couple off shots, walkers falling to the ground as I killed them. Carl followed me, gun up as he too shot walkers. I moved to the woman while he ran off to get the basket she had been holding.

I kicked her sword away, not taking any chances. Looking around I shot another walker before kneeling down to see what was wrong with the leg.

"Is she bit?" Hershel asked from the other side of the gate- though it was still open.

I checked her body for all sorts of injuries before coming to her leg. "Gun shot." I answered, turning to Hershel. Once I answered I turned back t the woman, pulling her over my shoulder.

 

...

 

We rushed into the prison, Carl in front holding the basket and sword.

"Carl, get a blanket." I told him as I carried the woman down the stairs. "Beth, water and a towel."

"All right." she moved off, still holding the baby.

"Here?" Carl asked, gesturing to a spot on the ground. I nodded and he laid out the blanket for me to place her on.

As I laid her down I had to make something clear to the others. "She's not coming in the cell block." no way was I making the mistake of trusting a stranger, not again. I wasn't letting anyone nearl Carl, Vickie or the baby.

I lost my grip slightly and she started falling. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Steady now." she was still out cold once I had her on the blanket. "All right. All right." I panted, turning and taking the water and towel from Beth. "Thank you."

She was coming too, moaning and moving her head.

"Shh." I poured some water on her neck. "It's all right. It's all right. Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me." she blinked frantically, trying to get focus. I waited until she seemed alert. "Who are you?" but she looked too scared to answer. "Hey, it's alright. Hey..."

Suddenly she went for her sword.

Before she could get to it, I kicked it away. "Hey. No. We're not gonna hurt you unless you try something stupid first, all right?"

"Rick." Daryl's voice called out.

I looked over at him for a moment before turning my gaze back to the woman. Taking a risk, I let go of her and straigthened up, looking over at Daryl again.

He walked out of the cell block, eyes on the woman. "Who the hell is this?"

My eyes went back to her as I sighed. "You wanna tell us your name?" she sat up slightly but didn't answer, so I asked again. "You wanna tell us your name?" nothing.

"Y'all come on in here." Daryl called.

I stood, eyes still on the stranger. "Everything all right?" I turned to Daryl.

"You're gonnna wanna see this." he replied.

I looked over at the others, gesturing over to the cell block with a nod of my head. "Go ahead. Carl, get the bag." with that Hershel and Beth followed Daryl and Carl got the basket. With her sword in my hand I told the woman, "We'll keep this safe and sound.

"The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here. And we can treat that." I gestured to her leg.

She looked around, obviously pissed. "I didn't ask for your help."

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter." walking to the cell block, Daryl behind me, I added. "Can't let you leave."

**DPOV**

I closed the gate, locking it so the new person couldn't get in the cell block. Once it was all secure I lead the others down a little bit until we got to the cell Carol was in. Rick looked at me, waiting for whatever it was I wanted to show him. With a nod of my head, he looked into the cell and frowned, confused.

Carol moved into the light from where she was sitting on the bed. She smiled, though you could tell she was exhausted.

Rick smiled, letting out a simple laugh.

"Oh, God." Carol sighed as he moved closer to her. She got herself up, both of them sharing a hug.

"Thank God. Thank God." Rick held her tight. By now the others stood next to me, watching the reunion inside the cell room. "Thank God." he repeated.

Letting go of Rick, Carl moved to Hershel, who only had one word to say. "How?"

"Solitary." she mumbled against him, a smile still on her face.

"Poor thing fought her way into a cell." I told the others, grinning proudly. "Must have passed out. Dehydrated."

Carol moved from Hershel and towards Beth who had Little Ass-Kicker in her arms. "Oh, oh..." her smile widened at the sight of the baby. Tunring to Rick she suddenly understood.

He nodded, shifting uncomfortably as he looked down at the ground.

That's when Carol started sobbing. Her hands holding his chest before moving to cup his face. "Oh, I'm sorry." she looked over at Carl. "Oh God."

Still crying she took the few steps between her and Beth, reachig out for the baby. She was handed over with no fuss and Carol just sobbed as she held her to her chest.

**  
**

**Chapter 19**

**Coincidence**

**DPOV**

Rick, Hershel and myself left the others in the cell block as we made our way into the other section to check up on the woman. Crossbow in my hands just in case, I was ready to defend our group.

"We can tend to that wound for you, give you a little food and water and then send you on your way." Rick told her, standing only a few feet from where she sat at one of the tables. "But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us and why you were carrying formula."

Without looking away from Rick she answered, "The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with two pretty girls."

I saw Hershel stand up at the mention of his daughter, probably worried. I didn't blame him. I knew she was talking about Glenn, Maggie and Vic. If anything had happened to her...

"What happened?" Rick asked, staying calm.

"Were they attacked?" Hershel asked her.

She looked over at the old man. "They were taken."

"Taken? By who?" Rick leaned down so her could get eye contact from her again.

"By the same son of a bitch who shot me." she looked at the ground, refusing to look at Rick.

My blood was boiling. It was a wonder I even let her out of the cell block let alone on a supply run. With the amount of times somethings had happened to Vic she should have been locked up, safe and sound, ages ago.

"Hey, these are our people." Rick moved closed to her, reaching out. "You tell us what happened, now!" he grabbed her leg right where she had been shot.

She was up and off the seat in an instant. "Don't you ever touch me again!"

My crossbow raised, I spoke. "You'd better start talkin'. You're gonna have a much bigger problem than a gunshot wound." this was Vic she was talking about, I wasn't going to just stand by and let her play games.

She snarled at me. "Find them yourself."

"Hey. Shh, shh, shh..." Rick gestured for me to lower my weapon. "Put it down." he moved in between me and the woman, looking at her he said, "You came here for a reason."

She looked at the ground, obviously realizing Rick was right, so she spoke up. "There's a town. Woodbury. About 75 survivors. I think they were taken there."

"A whole town?" I understood why Rick asked the question. It seemed unbelievable that a whole town was set up with survivors.

"It's run by this guy who calls himself The Governor." she held a lot of venom in those two words. "Pretty boy, charming, Jim Jones type."

"He got muscle?" I had one thing on my mind, how are we gonna save them. I didn't care how many men they had, I just need to know how many I was going to have to deal with so I can save Vic.

"Paramilitary wannabes. They have armed sentries on every wall." she answered.

Rick tilted his head to the side, thinking things through. "You know a way in?"

"The place is secure from walkers, but we would slip our way through."

There was a pause as we waited for Rick's next move. Then he spoke again. "How'd you know how to get here?"

She shrugged. "They mentioned a prison, said which direction it was in, said it was a straight shot."

Rick watched her for a moment before turning to Hershel. "This is Hershel, the father of one of the girls who was taken. He'll take care of you." and with that he started off with a nod to me.

I followed, leaving the old man to do what he had to.

**MPOV**

I still sat where Merle had taped me to the chair. I could hear him in the other room with Glenn. Every time he hurt Glenn I flinched, feeling pain myself. But I couldn't help worrying about Vickie as well. I hadn't heard her, or anyone say anything about her yet.

It had become obvious that Merle had a strong disliking when it came to Rick. If he found out Vickie was his daughter I don't think the fact she's Daryl's girlfriend will help her out of whatever situation would come of that.

I knew I should be thinking about what would be coming for me. Would it be Merle? Would he beat me like Glenn until I either gave up or couldn't speak? Would it be someone else? Someone who tried to be kind, and trick me? Images and ideas flowed therough my mind, but none of it mattered. All I cared about right then and there was to protect Vickie and Glenn, and everyone back home.

I wasn't giving up.

**VPOV**

There were noises in the back ground. I couldn't quite make out what it was, but for some reason it set me on edge. I kept thinking someone would walk through the door at any minute and hurt me.

Being tied down I knew the chances of me defending myself were slim. But I kept thinking about Glenn and Maggie. I wasn't going to just sit here and let Merle and his people do whatever they wanted to my friends. And I sure as hell wasn't letting them find out where my family was.

Just then the door flew open. Merle walked in, looking pissed.

I noticed the bandaid on his nose, with fresh blood soaked through it. I tilted my head, trying to see any other marks. Thats when my eyes landed on his knuckles. Blood and split skin. I knew instantly that he had been hurting someone... I just didn't know who.

"Now look, Missy. I'm tired of playin' games. You either tell me where your camp is, or I'm gonna have to force you."

I just glared at him, watching as he walked closer to me.

He frowned, shaking his head. "I don' wanna hurt ya. So tell me God damn it!"

I didnt budge. I wasn't even sure why I wasn't talking. I mean I wanted to. I didn't want to tell him where our home was, but I did have a few things I wanted to say... yet somehow whatever I thought of saying, never actually came out. It was as if my voice was on strike.

He groaned angrily, kicking the extra chair across the room. "Now you're gonna talk, or someone else is gonna come in here and make you." that's when I understood.

Merle honestly didn't want to hurt me. Sure, I had a feeling he didn't care about Glenn, and well he was unsure about Maggie, but me? I was his baby brother's girlfriend, I was kinda like family I guess, and that meant he didn't want to harm me.

My eyes landed on his arm, the one with the metal glove-thing on it. It wasn't the first time I noticed it, but at that point I was curious about it.

"What happened to your hand?"

His eyes went wide, like he was surprised I could actually talk. Then he realized we were getting somewhere, so he looked down at his arm, grinning and answered. "I was handcuffed to the roof back in Atlanta. Had to cut my own hand off, to get away from the biters." he looked up at me then. "One of your friends, Rick, was the one who cuffed me."

"Rick?" a memory came to mind then, one I hadn't remembered until that moment...

_"Hold on." Daryl turned away, wiping at his face. "Let me process this." he turned back to Rick. "You say you handcuffed my brother to a roof. And you left him there?"he yelled._

_"Yeah." was Rick's only reply as he looked away._

_That's all it took. It was like a bomb went of in Daryl._

_He threw the squirrels towards Rick, but Rick ducked before they hit him. Then Daryl charged, ready to fight. Before he hit Rick, another man- who I was pretty sure was Shane- barged into him, knocking him to the ground._

_On the ground, Daryl pulled out a knife before getting up._

_"Watch the knife." someone called, though I'm not sure who it was._

_Daryl was up now. He swung the knife towards Rick, luckily he doged. That's all Daryl got to do before Shane and Rick had him constrained._

_I moved forward, ready to help._

_"Victoria." mum tried to grab me._

_I rushed over to them and fell to the ground, grabbing the knife out of Daryl's hand so he couldn't use it. At the same time Shane got him in a headlock._

_I stood by Rick, while he knelt in front of Daryl. "I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. You think we can manage that?" when Daryl didn't responed, he repeated the question. "You think we can manage that?"_

_With a quick few nods, Rick signalled Shane to let Daryl go. Taking a step back Shane joined the others while Rick leaned over Daryl, who was still on the ground. "What I did was not on a whim. You're brother does not work and play well with others." he told him._

"I remember..." I whispered, shocked and amazed that Merle had brought the memory forward.

"Remember what?" looking up at him I could see he was confused.

I shook my head, before answering. "You're the person Rick and Shane wouldn't let me go after with the others."

"You wanted to go with em'? Why?" he grabbed the chair and pulled it over so he sat right in front of me.

I shrugged. "My mum always told me to be nice to people and not to judge others on what you've been told about them."

He nodded. "Smart mum you got."

"Had." I looked down at the ground.

"You lost her?" he asked, and I nodded, trying not to cry. "Before or after the world turned to shit?"

"Recent... Really recent actually..."

Merle shifted, running his hand over his face. "Shit." he sighed. "Things ain't going good for you lately then, huh?"

I shrugged. "You could say that." I looked around the room.

"That why you weren't talkin'? You wanna... talk about it now?"

I looked up at him, glaring. "You don't have to pretend to be nice. I know you don't really care."

He shook his head. "My mum died. I didn't know till weeks later. But Daryl knew, had to deal with it himself. I wasn't there for him. But I'm here, now."

I tilted my head, trying to figure out what his game was, but when I couldn't figure it out, I just started talking. "I had been alone for eight months, lost the group when our last camp got over run. But somehow they found me. My mum, dad, and brother. Daryl, Glenn and Maggie. Everyone. My family were back. But I wasn't exactly myself, forgot basically everything, and everyone.

"But my brother helped me, and soon enough I was attached to my mum, fascinated by her pregnant belly. Then one day, walkers got in. We were all seperated. When we finally cleared the place and got back together, Carl and Maggie came out without my mum, and with a baby..." a tear rolled down my check. "I had only started calling her mum again that morning."

Merle shifted slightly, probably uncomfortable. "Look, I'll be back. I'm gonna get you some water." he stood and headed for the door. "Just, don't say anything to anyone who comes in. They find out I'm doin' this, you'll be in bad shape."

I nodded and watched him leave, feeling a small amount of weight on my chest easing off. Strange as it sounded, talking to Merle had actually helped a little.

**DPOV**

We all stood at the other end of the cell block, furtherest away from where Hershel was fixing up the woman and Carl watched over them. The rest of us were talking about what she told us, and what we were going to do about it.

"How do you know we can trust her?" Oscar asked, not exactly believing her story.

"This is Maggie, Glenn and Victoria." Beth moved forward, stepping up for her sister. "Why are we even debatin'?"

"We ain't." I shrugged. I had to make it clear, I didn't care what the others decided to do, but I was going. "I'll go after them."

"Well, this place sounds pretty secure. You can't go alone." Rick pointed out, not showing us any sign of what he was going to do. Honestly I thought he'd be right there with me, but with how he had been acting, I wasn't sure what Rick was thinking anymore.

"I'll go." Beth looked so brave, but I knew better. She wouldn't last very long with no experience with guns or any sort of weapon. Walkers were one thing. But going against humans who could shot back? I didn't think her going would be good.

Axel stepped forward. "Me too." he added before turning to Oscar.

"I'm in." he nodded.

**VPOV**

Merle came back in with a glass of water, closing the door carefully behind him. Once he stood by me, he used his knife to cut the tape wrapped around one of my wrists before handing me the cup.

I nodded, taking a quick drink before putting the cup down and wiping at my face. "Who hurt your nose?" I asked, nodding at his face.

He shifted in his seat. "Glenn. Head butted me, the asshole."

"You kidnapped us, locked us up, and by the looks of your hand, beat someone up. I'm pretty sure he has every right to be angry at you." I noted, trying to stay calm. The thought of Merle hurting Glenn seemed so strange. He may have used me as a hostage and kidnapped us, but he had been nice to me since then... sort of. "When can I see Glenn and Maggie again?"

He just shook his head. "Can't let you do that. Not 'til you tell me where Daryl is."

"I won't talk. And theres nothing you can do to make me." I sat straighter, looking brave and strong. "So do whatever you have to. There's no way I'll tell."

He nodded, standing up. "You said your brother's name was Carl. I remember him. He was that little boy from camp. Always hangin' around Shane." he started pacing. "Who was that woman Shane was hangin' around?"

I turned away from him, swallowing hard.

"Hm... Lissa? No. Laura? No... What was it." he stopped. "That's right.  _Lori_." he chuckled. "So you're the girl Shane lost. Lori's little girl..." he sat down again. "Now tell me if I've got this wrong, but wasn't officer friendly looking for his wife, daughter and son? And I'm pretty sure he had the same uniform as Shane.

"So... that makes you the Sheriffs daughter." he laughed. "And my baby brother's been sleepin' with ya. Ain't it funny how he decided to sleep with the daughter of the man who left his brother- his blood- hand cuffed on the roof?" his hand rested under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "I guess that doesn't make you my brother's girl. That just makes you his bitch."

Anger boiled inside me.

I struggled against the chair, trying to untie myself with my free hand. "How dare you! You pig!" I spat at him.

The spit landed right under his eye.

He stood up, his grin gone. "You're gonna regret that." his fist smashed into the side of my face, the force causing my chair to fall on to it's side.

I watched as he walked out, leaving me there on the ground.

**  
**

**Chapter 20**

**Nothing You Do**

**DPOV**

"I got flash bangs and I got the tear gas. You never know what you're gonna get." I told Oscar as we started filling up the car before he left to get more. We were packed and ready for anything.

I grabbed my vest, putting it on as Carl walked up to the car. I could see one of the bags was a little heavy, so I took it off him.

"Thanks." he nodded in return.

We put the bags in the trunk of the car with everything else. I could tell he was worried, not just about Vic but about his dad too. They were his only family he had left.

"Hey, don't you worry about your old man. I'm gonna keep my eye on him." I patted him on the back comfortingly. "I'll bring your sister back too. I'll make sure she's safe." he nodded, and so I headed off to grab more things.

**RPOV**

I walked out of the prison, heading towards Oscar and Carl. Handing Oscar the basket of things and a bag I then turned to Carl. "Carl." I gestured for him to follow. We walked away from the others. I needed to talk to him. We hadn't actually had a moment to speak about what he had to do when we were all separated. "What you did for mum..."

"I had to."

"Yeah, I know. I know, and I'm sorry." I paused, looking down at him. "No one should have to go through that."

He looked away, obviously uncomfortable. I understood he didn't want to talk about it. "How long will you be gone?" he asked, changing the subject as he looked back up at me.

I shook my head, letting him change the subject. "Look," I leaned down so I was at his level, "if something happens while we're gone-"

"We'll be all right." he interupted.

"If anything happens," I went on as if he hadn't said anything, "you get everyone locked in the cells, keep them all safe."

He nodded. "I will."

"I know. I know you will." looking down at him I could see how much he had actually grown up. Life was harsh these days, too harsh for a kid his age. "Take care of your baby sister, all right?" I sighed, not really wanting to leave him and the baby here. But Victoria needed me right now

"And you bring back Vickie."

"I will." I nodded, patting him on the shoulder before turning to head towards the car.

I hadn't gotten far when he spoke up again "Daryl's been calling the baby Ass-Kicker."

I stopped and turned around. "Ass-kicker?" I asked, followed by a chuckle. "Has he, now?"

Carl just sighed. "I've been thinking, what should we really call her?"

Moving closer I nodded in agreement. "What do you think?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

"Remember my third grade teacher, Mrs Mueller?"

I thought about it for a moment, before answering. "Of course." honestly I couldn't remember. Lori had been the one who dealt with teachers. With my work I didn't have the time to remember each teacher's name...

"Her first name was Judith. Do you think that's a good name?"

"I think that's a fine name." I smiled, and he smiled back at me. "Judith it is."

**DPOV**

Walking out of the prison once more I knew we now had everything we need. So this time, when I stood by Carol, I stopped. "Stay safe." I told her, knowing she was still recovering from being in solitary.

She looked up from Ass-Kicker. "Nine lives, remember." she smiled before looking down at the baby again.

I nodded, moving to the car just as Rick opened the door to the driver's side.

Hershel moved up to him, a determined look on his face. "Bring them back."

Rick nodded in response befroe getting in the car.

It wasn't just that Maggie was Hershel's daughter, or the Vic was Rick's. It wasn't because Beth was missing her sister, and Carl and Ass-Kicker was missing theirs. It wasn't that Glenn was everyone's friend. No. These people, whoever the were, had taken family,  _our_ family. And that was a big mistake.

**VPOV**

I had gotten my other arm free from the duct tape, but that was all I had been able to do so far.

My face ached where Merle had punched it. Right on my eye. I was sure there was already a big, ugly bruise showing itself. But honestly that was nothing compared to what was probably going to happen to me.

I was one hundred percent sure I was going to die.

Why would they keep me alive? I wasn't telling them what they needed, and I'll only be a hassle. The easiest thing for them to do would be to just kill me right now and get it over with before I waste any more time.

Of course, I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

I stood up and readied myself, with a few deep breaths. Then, with a quick stomp, I slammed my foot on to the leg of the wooden chair. Sure enough, it broke.

I grabbed the stake and stood, waiting for Merle or whoever to come in. I was ready to kill if I had to. I was ready to kill and find Maggie and Glenn before getting us the hell out of here.

**MPOV**

I listened as he left the room. As soon as the door closed, I sat back down, reaching for my shirt. But he had taken it. So I used my arms, trying to cover myself.

I had known it was an act, being all nice and friendly. It didn't work on me. And honeslty, if he had raped me, I don't think I would have said anything. Beth, dad, Carl and the baby are back at the prison. I wasn't going to tell these monsters where they could find them.

At the thought of my family I couldn't help but think of Glenn and Vickie. I had heared everything that was happening to Glenn from the start. The questioning, the beatings and then the walker. But I hadn't heard Vickie, or anything about her. I had no idea what they had been doing to her. If she was hurt. If they had thrown a walker at her. Or if they had raped her.

Bile rose in my mouth. I remembered what she had told me about Shane, and when I had found out about those men who gave her all those scars. She had survived all of that, only to end up right back at the beginning.

At that moment, I wondered if there was any chance any of us were getting out of this alive...

**DPOV**

Rick stopped the car and well all got out. He had been following the directions of the woman- who we still didn't know what she was called. But from the looks of where we were, I couldn't see any sign of a town.

Just as I was thinking that this was all a trap, she spoke up, "They have patrols. We're better off on foot."

I didn't bother saying anything, just moved to the trunk of the car to get the gear out. I needed to be ready, to be prepared. There were two ways this was going to end. One, with Vic and the others safe at the prison again. Or two, all of us dead. Either way, I was going to fight my way through.

"How far?" Rick asked, looking up at the sky. "Nights coming."

"It's a mile, maybe two."

Once we were all ready and had what we could carry from the back of the car, I closed it up before we headed into the forest.

At first we were quiet, looking around for any dangers. Be that human or walker. But eventually Rick came up to me to talk.

"I know what you did for me, for my baby, for my family, while I was... working things out. Thank you."

I looked over at him for a moment before turnig back to scan the area again. "It's what we do."

We kept walking, not needing to say anything else.

It wasn't long before I heard the groans of a walker near by. "Rick. Down." I told everyone. That's when I could hear them all, and see them coming our way.

"Get in formation. No gunfire." Rick ordered as we all got ready.

_I guess the action starts now..._

**VPOV**

The door opened, but it wasn't Merle. It was a different man, tall, white, scruffy face. Yet there was something about him that screamed power... and something else I couldn'tquite put my finger on. But I still knew I was in deep trouble.

He gestured to the broken chair. "You got yourself a weapon? Planning on hurting me?" he smiled, a disgustingly charming smile. "Do yourself a favour, put it down." he pulled out a gun, waving it around so I could see it properly.

I gulped, letting the stake fall.

He nodded, stepping closer. "That's a girl. Now, why don't you tell me where your people are? We won't harm them, I swear. We'll bring them back here. You'll all be safe and we'll forget about everything that's happened today."

"I don't think I can forget about the whole kidnapping thing." I snapped.

He shook his head. "Merle tells me your dad's the one whole hand cuffed him up on the roof. Now that's not exactly a nice thing to do, is it? When he saw Glenn, he panicked, that's all."

I backed away from him, not wantig him too close. "When you panic, you run. You don't put a gun to someone's head and take three hostages." I told him, not holding off on the attitude. "I'd call that evil, with a side of crazy."

He laughed. "Got an attitude, don't you?" my back suddenly pressed against the wall. His smile widened, as he reached out for me. His fingers brushed some hair behind my ear, so gentle. All the while my body shook with fear as my heart raced and my breath quickened.

Suddenly his hand was wrapped around my throat, his gun away. His fingers squeezed until I couldn't breathe as he lifted me off the ground slightly, dragging me up the wall.

His smile was gone, now he looked pissed and monstrous. I had never been so scared in my life. "Tell me where your camp is."

My hands tried to pull his away as I tried, so desperately, to fight for air.

His grip loosened and dropped me to the ground. "Tell me where your camp is."

Gasping for breath I shook my head. "No." I crocked, looking up at him.

His fist came down, connecting with my cheek with a force that pushed me further down on to the ground so I was lying in the dirt. "Tell me where your camp is."

I coughed blood, spitting it on to the ground, shaking my head once more.

His fingers curled into my hair as he pulled me off the ground. I cried out in pain as he slammed my chest against the wall. Using his other hand he unbuttoned my jeans, forcing them down. His hand let go of my hair, before he grabbed on to my waist, squeezing so tightly I was sure to bruise.

I wouldn't let myself cry. I stood there and felt him take my pants off, my shoes going with them when he got to my feet.

His hands moved under my shirt, rubbing my stomach. I could feel his fingers follow my scars. "Tell me where your camp is." he said again before pushing his groin against my back.

But I just shook my head. "If you're going to beat me, then beat me. If you're going to rape me, then rape me. If you're going to kill me, then kill me. But there is nothing you can do or say that will make me tell you where they are."

He grabbed my hair again, pulling it so I'd look at him. "If you don't tell me, I'll kill Glenn. And then Maggie. And I won't kill you. I'll keep you here." he was threatening me, but it wasn't going to work.

"Like I said, nothing you say or do will make me tell you."

He didn't say anything at first, just kept holding me, breathing heavily in my ear. During that silence I really thought about what I was doing. I was basically giving this man permission to kill my friends, my family, and torture me, or whatever he wanted to do.

But then his hands let go of me, and he stepped back. Without a word he walked out, leaving me alone once more.

I fell to the ground, my mind and body catching up to each other. Before I knew it my breathing was coming out hard and fast, and I had a hard time controlling it. This feeling, of my heart beating, and my lungs pulling in air fast, but ye not fast enough, it was all to familiar. I was having a panic attack.

But it was too late. The moment I ealized what was happening my vision was aready getting bluured and splotchy. Before I knew it, everything was black...

**  
**

**Chapter 21**

**Couldn't Hold Out**

**MPOV**

I couldn't believe my eyes. Glenn. He was all bloodied and bruised. He looked like he had been used as a punching bag.

Merle, the man who had talked to me before, and a different man stood in the room they had Glenn in. They had brought me, topless and scared. But at least none of them had marked me. Just by looking at Glenn I knew it was going to take days, probably weeks, before he was back to normal... if we lived that long.

At the sight of me, the way they had me, anger flared in Glenn's eyes. Raising the piece of broken wood in the air, he went to attack.

"Drop it." the new guy pointed his gun at me.

Glenn froze, the anger disappearing as helplessness took over. He dropped his weapon.

"We're through with games." the man who had talked to me said. I could tell he was the leader. "Now one of you is gonna give up your camp."

Glenn and I shared a look, both of us shaking our heads.

The leader cocked his gun, putting it to my head. When he saw that did nothing he let go of me and took the few steps between us and Glenn, pointing his gun at him instead.

I stepped forward. "The prison." I broke. I couldn't even think about them hurting Glenn, let alone see them actually shoot him in front of me.

Merle and the other man stopped me from getting closer to Glenn and the leader.

"The one near Nunez?" Merle asked.

The other guy couldn't believe it. "That place is over run."

Looking into Glenn's eyes, seeing the light fade as he realized what just happened, I spoke again. "We took it."

"How many of there are you?" the leader asked, gun still raised at Glenn's head.

"Ten." I swallowed hard. "We have ten now."

"Ten people cleared that whole prison of biters? Huh?" I couldn't tell if my answer angered or surprised the leader as he looked between us. When he saw both of us had nothing to say he lowered his gun, moving to the door behind me. He stopped, coming to my side.

I cried, not wanting him to touch me, but knowing I couldn't move.

"Hey, hey. Shh..." his hand brushed my cheek. "It's all right." he brought me face to him as he pulled me into his embrace, stroking my hair. "It's all right." I tired to pull back, but he held me. "Shh..." he kissed my head. "It's all right."

The whole time I watched Glenn as he struggled with himself. He wanted to fight, to fight for me. But we both knew that if any of us did anything, things would get so much worse.

The leader let go of me, his hand resting on my back as he pushed me towards Glenn. I willingly went forward, glad to be away from him and back with the one I loved.

Glenn wrapped me in his arms, holding me as I sobbed.

The door creaked behind us, and Glenn suddenly moved. "What about Vickie?"

I looked over, still sobbing, to see Merle standing in the door way. He didn't say anything, just closed the door.

**VPOV**

The big black man from before came into the room, followed by another man I had never seen before. They headed towards me, and I back up until I was pressed against the wall.

"Get up." the other man said. He was shorter and tan, Latino looking. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet.

"Where's Merle?" I asked, frantic. "What are you doing?"

I suddenly felt rope being tied around my wrists at my back. "We're taking you to the others." he mumbled, the black guy not saying a word, just holding his gun.

"To Glenn and Maggie?" I turned my head around to look at him better. "Are you letting us go?"

"Something like that." he said before pushing me forward. "Lets go."

 

...

 

"Let him go!" I heard Maggie yell as we came around a corner.

There was grunting that sounded like Glenn, and then Merle's voice. "Okay."

We walked around to see the three of them, and another man though he was dead. Glenn was on the ground, Merle kneeling above him with his hands- or well hand- up, Maggie pointing a gun at him.

But Merle was smiling. He knew we had been coming, and he knew there was nothing Maggie and Glenn could now do.

Once we had left my room we had been joined by a few other men, one of which guided me as the Latino man was handed a gun. Now, in front of Glenn, Maggie and Merle, he raised the gun, just like the others.

Merle stood. "Give me the gun!" he yelled, snatching the gun from Maggie before kicking Glenn. "Get up!"

Glenn groaned and I could tell he wasn't able to get up. "Untie me." I told Merle, voice strong and confident. "Untie me so I can help him. I promise I won't do anything."

Merle looked from me, to Glenn, to the men behind me, and then back to me. "Fine. Untie her."

The others did as they were told, allowing me and Maggie to help Glenn up. They directed us into the room, which I recognised as the room they had put Glenn in at the beginning. Once we were in, we were ordered to get down on our knees.

I knelt by Maggie, but kept my eyes forward. I knew what was coming, and I wasn't going to give these monsters the satisfaction of hearing me beg or seeing me cry. If I was going to die, I was going to do it with dignity.

Merle circled us. I could feel Maggie's fear as she cried next to me. The men tied up our hands once more only this time in front of us, as Merle talked.

"Been really great seeing you again. Glad we could catch up." Merle stood behind me. "And of course, it's been nice meeting the two of you ladies."

"Just keep looking at me." Glenn told Maggie, followed by another of her sobs.

"I love you." in the corner of my eyes I could see the two of them looking at each other, just as a bag was put over her head.

Merle moved to crouch in front of me. "Sorry it's ending this way. I would have loved to chat more, but I think it's time we say good bye."

I glared at him, spitting in his face.

He wiped it off, laughing. Suddenly his fist slammed into my gut. I fell on to my back, gasping for air.

"Don't you touch her!" Glenn yelled just as a bag was being pulled over his head.

Merle ignored him, grabbing my arm and yanking me up. He said nothing, just looked into my eyes as a bag was placed over my head, leaving me sightless.

**DPOV**

Rick walked through a door, gun raised, as we moved to where the gun shots had been coming from. I was pretty sure we were close. Inside a building where we had seen no one else. It was plain and barely furnished. As if it wasn't used by the whole community. Somewhere the dirty work could be done.

We came to a corner, and Rick looked around, only to come back and press himself against the wall. He waited a few seconds before looking again.

With the coast clear he moved on, gun raised once again. We moved only a few feet to the next wall, where there was a window. Crouching down, all four of us listened as we heard someone's voice.

"Been really great seeing you again. Glad we could catch up." that voice sounded so familiar... "And of course, it's been nice meeting the two of you.

"I love you." we could hear Maggie, and we knew for sure that at least her and Glenn were in that room.

"Sorry it's ending this way. I would have loved to chat more, but I think it's time we say good bye." the familiar voice said. There was a moment of silence before the sound of a punch, and a pain filled groan filled my ears.

_Vic!_

"Don't you touch her!" Glenn yelled.

No one said anything for a while, I looked to Rick, seeing him clench his jaw. I knew for sure he could tell it had been Vic who had groaned.

"On your feet, move. Let's go, come one." we could hear them walking, getting out of the room.

Looking at each other, Rick sighed. "Shit." we all reached for the smoke bombs.

Oscar and the woman moved back to the other corner as Rick got up and threw his first smoke bomb. I quickly threw mine as well, following them around the other corner so we weren't seen.

There was an explosion followed by a number of shouts and coughing.

Quickly we all moved around, gun raised as we went for Maggie Glenn and Vic.

Rick grabbed Glenn as all the men coughed, on the ground. I had my gun raised ready to shot. That was until I saw Vic.

One side of her face was badly bruised and swollen. Her hands were tied, though she had pulled the bag off her head. I could see the pain in her eyes as she moved towards me, a limp in her step.

I lowered my gun, reaching out for her as I pulled her close to me. "Come on, we'll get you outta here." I told her, following the others.

**VPOV**

Daryl kept one arm around me, the other holding his gun. I stayed by his side as all seven of us made our way out of the building Glenn, Maggie and I had been locked up in. Dad and Maggie helped Glenn as he found it hard to walk let alone run. Oscar was with us, gun raised as he looked around for any threat. Then there was the woman who I had never seen before. But I didn't ask questions as my mind was set on getting out of there.

"Inside, quick!" dad told us as we got to a building. We all filed in, Daryl never letting go of me.

Glenn fell to the floor, scooting over so he could lean on something. Maggie was right there with him, ready to help if he needed it.

Oscar followed us, gun up as he scanned the place. I could see Daryl doing the same, only his gun was lowered, so he could hold me. Dad came in next, moving around to check the place.

Daryl and I moved to the back of the room, seeing a dead end. No doors or windows. "Ain't no way out back here." he told them.

"Rick, how did you find us?" Maggie asked, her voice a little too loud. But I didn't blame her, we were all panicked and alert.

Dad didn't say anything, just looked to Glenn. "How bad are you hurt?"

"I'll be all right." he answered though just by looking at him I could tell he wasn't all right.

"What about you?" Daryl asked me.

I nodded my head. "Fine."

"Where's that woman?" Maggie asked before Daryl could say anything else to me.

Dad looked around. "She was right behind us." he said before knelling down in front of one of the windows, looking out.

"Maybe she was spotted." Oscar suggested.

Daryl shifted next to me. "Want me to go look for her?"

Dad turned to him. "No. We gotta get them out of here." he gestured to Glenn, Maggie and me. "She's on her own."

"Daryl," Glenn spoke up, his voice full of strianed pain, "this was Merle."

I tensed at the mention of Daryl's brother. The moment I had seen Daryl it was as if I knew that no matter what had happened, I wasn't going to tell him what Merle had done. It wasn't my pace to tell him that his brother had hurt me. Getting between them was something I knew I shouldn't do.

But seeing the way Daryl was looking at Glenn, I could tell things were about to fall apart. It was too late for me to keep the truth from him.

Glenn kept going on. "It was. He did this."

"You saw him?" Daryl asked, needing to know if Glenn was one hundred percent sure.

"Face to face." his face twisted in pain as Maggie kept on helping him put his jacket on. "He threw a walker at me." Daryl let go of me, leaving me to lean against the wall as he stepped closer to Glenn. "He was going to execute us."

"So, my brother's this Governor?"

"No," Maggie answered, finished dressing Glenn, "he's somebody else. Your brother's his lieutenant or something."

"Does he know I'm still with you?"

Maggie nodded as Glenn spoke. "He does now. Rick, I'm sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out."

Dad moved to Glenn, placing a hand on his arm. "Don't. No need to apologise." he said as he patted his leg before going back to the window.

"They're gonna be looking for us." Maggie pointed out just as Daryl came to stand with me once again.

Dad looked away from the window, nodding in our direction. "We have to get back." he turned to Glenn. "Can you walk? We got a car a few miles out."

Glenn sighed, "I'm good."

"All right." Dad said as he and Maggie helped Glenn to his feet.

Stepping away from me again, Daryl moved to them. "Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him."

"Not now." dad said, voice controlled. "We're in hostile territory."

"He's my brother. I ain't-"

"Look at what he did! Look, we gotta get out of here now."

"Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out." Daryl wasn't dropping it, and I could tell dad wasn't giving up either.

"No, no, no. You're not thinking straight." he turned to Glenn before going back to Daryl. He said something that the rest of us couldn't hear, giving me time to think.

Looking at Daryl I couldn't help but remember what Merle had said.  _Was it the truth? Did Daryl really only say he likes me so he could get revenge on my dad for handcuffing his brother on a roof?_  It didn't seem possible. But the more I watched him the more I realized how strong his bond with his brother was.

 _No._  I shook my head.  _Daryl isn't like that, and you know it. He does care for you. Don't you ever think otherwise._

"Yeah." my attention snapped back to reality at the sound of Daryl agreeing with my dad. Whatever had been said, it worked.

**  
**

**Chapter 22**

**Gun Fire, Smoke and Chaos**

**VPOV**

We all moved closer to the door. Maggie kept Glenn standing while I leaned against the wall. I could feel where Merle had punched me in the gut.

I was sure he had got one of my ribs, probably breaking it. The pain made it hard to move, or stand, or even breath. But I would look to Glenn and see the shape he was in, telling myself my pain was nothing compared to his.

Daryl grabbed one of the smoke bombs as dad came to stand in front of me.

"You okay?" he asked, hand resting on my arm. "You ready?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Ready."

He looked over at Daryl who nodded. With his hand on the door knob dad readied himself. "On three. Stay tight. One, two, three." he opened the door.

Daryl moved past him, throwing the smoke bomb out the door before throwing another. He moved back, and we waited for a moment before the sound of the bombs went of and we were sure we'd have cover.

"Let's go." dad nodded, heading out first.

Daryl went next, his hand holding on to me. "Stay close, okay?" I simply nodded before he let go, both hands on his raised gun.

Maggie, Glenn and Oscar came out last, all of us staying low but moving fast. We followed dad, watching and waiting for an order.

"There they are!" some one called.

Gun started firing.

Dad stopped where he had been walking, to shoot. I could see the men on top of the buses in front to of us go down one by one.

"Stay with Maggie." Daryl told me before he started shoot too.

Maggie, Glenn and I stayed behind my dad and Daryl as they started firing in the direction we had just come from. More people seemed to be there then before.

"Go! Get cover!" dad yelled. "In there." He gestured to a little spot where we could get out of sight to reload and regroup. "Go, go, go!"

"Stay with Glenn." Maggie told me as Oscar handed her a gun.

I moved to Glenn's side, my arm around him to help keep him up. But even doing that seemed to make my own pain increase.

"How many?" dad yelled over the gun fire.

"I didn't see." Oscar answered.

"Don't matter." Daryl grunted. "There's gonna be more of them. We need to move."

Oscar handed Glenn and me a gun each. I looked it over, checking to see if it was fully loaded and ready to use.

"Any grenades left?" dad asked Daryl, voice raised. "Get them ready. We gotta gun it to the wall."

Maggie moved around the corner slightly, shooting at the others. Oscar did the same. With those two shooting high, I crouched down, moving behind Daryl, and shot low.

I was pulled back by Oscar just before shots came towards us. I nodded my thanks, moving back to Glenn.

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna lay down some cover fire." Daryl said, but I had a feeling he wanted to stay back for the off chance he might see his brother as well.

"No." Maggie "We gotta stay together."

"Too hairy." Daryl shook his head. "I'll be right behind you."

Maggie moved again, shooting a couple times before ducking cover once more.

That gave Daryl enough time to get a bomb set. "Ready?" he yelled just before he threw the smoke bomb. Once it was out of his hand he jumped into the cover again, standing right in front of me.

The explosion of the bomb going off sounded and dad was ready to go. "Come on, move! Let's get out of here!"

I looked to Daryl and leaned forward, placing a quick kiss on his lips. "Be careful." I told him. Without waiting for him to reply I followed the others.

"Rick!" Maggie yelled.

"Keep going!" Daryl told us, right behind me.

I followed Oscar, Maggie and Glenn to the buses, keeping my head low. Oscar got on to the hood of the bus right away before reaching down and helping Glenn up. Maggie and I stayed down, shooting, as we waited for Oscar to get Glenn up and over.

Out of no where, Oscar fell, yelling out in pain. He rolled off the bus, landing in front of me.

"No!" Glenn yelled.

I looked up at him seeing that he was on the roof of the bus. "Maggie, we gotta go. Come on!" I told her.

"Rick! Rick!" she yelled, rolling Oscar over.

I kept shooting, covering her as she checked to see if he was alive. "How bad is it?"

"He's dead."

"Maggie!" Glenn yelled, still at the top of the bus.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "Come on. We gotta go." I told her, guiding her to climb up the bus. "Dad!" I yelled over my shoulder. As soon as she was on the hood of the bus I moved over to Oscar, looking away as I shot him in the head.

"Come on!" Glenn shouted.

"Vickie!" Maggie called.

I turned around, grabbing her hand as she helped me on to the bus. We got to the top, all of us staying low. We quickly helped Glenn get over the fence, making sure he was safe.

When his feet touched the ground I turned to Maggie. "You go." she went to argue but I shook my head. "I need to help my dad." with a quick nod, she started to climb down the other side of the fence, not really needing the help I offered her.

Turning I could see dad getting on to the bus. "Daryl!" he called over his shoulder before grabbing the hand I was offering him.

I helped him up on to the roof, before searching for Daryl. "Daryl, come on!"

"Go!" he yelled back.

I felt dad grab my arm as he directed me to the edge of the bus. But I shook my head. "I can't leave him."

"He'll be fine. Come on." he said, moving to the edge himself.

Sighing with frustration and hesitation, I let him help me down. Before I touched the ground I felt Maggie's hands on my back, helping me. When we were all over the fence, out of gun shot I stood there for a moment, looking up, waiting for Daryl.

"Where is he!?"

**RPOV**

We came to the car where we had left the rest of our stuff earlier. I looked to the other, "Get down." I said before moving my gaze back to the fence.

Glenn groaned as he got to the ground, followed by a hiss from Vickie.

I kept my eyes on the fence, the guards pacing and shining the light around. We had a situation, one that wasn't going to be easy to get out of.

"Dad, we need to go back and get Daryl." Vickie told me as she moved to crouch by myside.

I sighed, nodding my head. "We'll give him a minute. While we wait, we'll think of a plan to get back-" before I could finish I was interrupted by some rustling behind us.

We all turned around, waiting to see who or what was coming.

That's when the woman came out from under the train.

I stood, gun raised. "Where the hell were you?" I cocked my gun, seeing Maggie do the same from behind her. "Put your hands up." she did as I said. "Turn around. Turn around." my voice got harsh the second time.

Slowly she turned, facing Maggie. I reached forward, taking her sword away. With it in my hand, she turned to face me again, leaning against the train.

I lowered my gun, stepping closer. "Get what you came for?" I asked, leaning forward.

"Where are the rest of your people?"she asked, ignoring my question.

"They got Oscar." I turned to look at Glenn, seeing both him and Vickie standing with their guns raised.

"Daryl's missing." Vickie added. "You didn't see him?" she sounded pissed, no longer worried.

The woman shook her head.

"If anything happens to him-" I started before she cut me off.

"I brought you here to save them."

I sighed, nodding my head. "Thanks for the help."

"You'll need help to get them back to the prison or to go back in there for Daryl." she noted, a desperate look in her eyes. "Either way, you need me."

**DPOV**

"This is one of the terrorists!" I heard a man shout as I was pushed forward, a bag over my head.

A hand grabbed me, pulling the bag off. I looked around, panting, to see people all around me.

"Merle's own brother." the same voice finished, followed by murmurs from all the people.

But all I was focused on was my brother, standing right in front of me, a concerned and surprised look in his eyes. I could tell he was on some level happy to see me, but the majority of him was wishing the circumstances were better.

I was let go, hands still tied behind me back. I took a few steps to the side, moving around, confused, anxious and... scared.

That's when I caught sight of another familiar face... Andrea.

"What should we do with them, huh?" the man who had been talking before, spoke again, circling me. I had guessed he was the Governor.

"Kill them!" someone in the crowd called.

"What?" the Governor asked, incouraging all the people to start yelling and shouting.

"Kill them!" they all yelled.

"What do you want?!"

They started to chant, over and over, "Kill them! Kill them!"

"Kill them now!"

"Kill them!"

The Governor moved to Merle. "You wanted your brother. Now you got him."

**  
**

**Chapter 23**

**Blood**

**DPOV**

The Governor circled Merle and me as the crowd continued to yell and shout, "Kill them! Kill them now!"

I looked around, not exactly liking my odds.

Andrea pushed through the crowd, only to be grabbed by some of the men that had guns pointed at us. "Phillip."

One of them had a gun right to her gut. "Stay out of this."

"He's my friend." she insisted, but even I could see that didn't matter.

"It's not up to me any more. The people have spoken."

"What?" Andrea looked at the man circling Merle and me, not believing her eyes.

The Governor pointed to Merle. "I asked you where your loyalties lie." as he spoke I was untied by the guy who had my crossbow. "You said here. Well prove it. Prove it t us all." blood trickled out from under the bandage he had on his eye. "Brother against brother."

The crowd laughed and mumured. "Yeah."

"Winner goes free." the Governor stepped close.

Cheers and whoops sounded around us. "Right."

"Fight to the death." he called, and the crowd cheered and pumped their fist in the air.

"Phillip, please. Don't do this." Andrea pleaded again. "Don't do this."

"Let's go, Merle!"

"Come on, Merle!"

"Yeah, Merle!"

"Yeah!"

Merle lifted his hand, silencing the crowd. "Y'all know me." he walked in front of me, talking to the crowd. "I'm gonna do whatever I got to do to prove," he turned, his fist slamming into my gut; I grunted falling to the ground, "that my loyalty," he kicked me, while I was still down, "is to this town!" his fist came down on my face.

Over and over he punched me, my blocks doing hardly anything against my older brother's strength.

But that wasn't what surprised me most. No. The sounds of walkers snarling and groaning was what caught my attention. The lunatics were actually crazy enough to bring out walkers, surrounding us, caging us in.

Merle was slightly distracted, or getting too cocky, but I saw my opportunity. As he leaned down to hit me again, I flung my fist into the side of his face, making him step back until he nearly walked into a walker. Getting up, I charged at him before he got the upper hand again. But he had me on the floor in seconds.

My hands came around his throat. "You really think this asshole's gonna let you go?"

"Just follow my lead, little brother. We're gettin' out of this right now." he grabbed on to my vest, pulling me up. Once on our feet we went back to back, ready to attack.

One of the walkers was push towards me, it's jaws snapping in my direction as it got closer. I pushed it back, the person who had a hold of it, stumbling away but keeping grip on the walker. Merle punch one of the walkers where he stood behind me. Grunting before he moved to the next, kicking it to the ground. I made my move, punching the jaw of another walker before grabbing it and throwing it in the direction of the crowd. They screamed and scurried away from the creature.

Just as I got myself ready to attack again, a gun went off, the head of the walker in front of me splattering out blood before it fell to the ground.

People screamed, frozen still as more shots went off, some of them hitting people.

A smoke bomb landed in the middle of the arena, before going off, covering us all in a cloud of smoke. Gun fire went off, people running and screaming. The shots hit the lights, sending us into darkness.

"Come on! Come on!" Merle yelled, slamming his metal arm into the head of a walker. "Stay close!"

"Daryl!" someone called, but I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

We made our way through the crowd. "Merle, come on!"

"Go!" he called before me made a run for it.

I saw the guy who had taken my crossbow. I took it from him, snatching it out of his hands. Behind me Merle slammed his arm into the guys head before pulling out a knife from the guy's pocket.

Once he had what he needed I gestured for him to follow. "Let's go!"

We found Maggie and Rick, but the others were nowhere to be seen.

"Daryl," Rick nodded, getting up. "Let's go. Go."

**VPOV**

I sat in the back of the car, looking out the open door. Glenn sat on the ground outside in front of me, the woman leaned against the driver's side door.

Last night I had insisted I go with dad and Maggie to get Daryl back. But dad had said I was in no state to be going back, just like Glenn. So the woman- who I had learnt was named Michonne- lead the two of us to the car a couple miles away from the town.

We had been waiting for awhile. In fact it was already light out.

"Glenn. Vickie."

I got out of the car, looking over it to see them heading our way from inside the forest.

"Rick." Glenn got up. "Rick." panting he headed towards them, both Michonne and I following. "Rick. Oh, thank God."

His hand raised in front of him dad started, "Now we got a problem here. I need you to back up." he told Glenn.

I heard the sound of Michonne's sword being pulled out just as Glenn raised his gun. "What the hell is he doing here?" he asked, looking at Merle.

"Hey, hey, hey!" dad moved in front of Michonne as Maggie stopped Glenn.

"Hang on. Stop!" Maggie yelled.

I was behind them all, my eyes on Daryl. "Hey, put it down!" he yelled at the others. "Put it down!"

"He tried to kill me." Michonne yelled, dad's gun pointing at her.

"Drop the sword." he told her, not listening to what she had to say.

Daryl stayed between Merle and Glenn as Glenn yelled. "Look what he did. If it wasn't for him-"

"He helped us get out of there." Daryl insisted, no loger yelling back.

"Yeah, right after he beat the shit out of you." dad snapped back, gun still pointed to Michonne.

"Hey, we both took our licks, man." Merle added, which didn't help the situation.

Daryl turned to him. "Jackass."

"Hey, shut up!" Merle told him.

"Enough!" I yelled, moving to stand in the middle of all of them. "Just relax, all of you!" I turned to Michonne. "Put it down, now. You too Glenn and Maggie."

"You gonna cuff me?" Merle asked from behind me.

I turned to him. "Shut the fuck up, Merle! I don't want to here you!"

"I said get that damn thing out of my face!" Daryl snapped at Glenn.

I turned back around to see all the weapons now lowered.

Merle laughed. "Man, looks like you've gone native, brother."

Daryl turned and moved closer to his brother. "No more that you hanging out with that psycho back there."

"Oh, yeah, man." Merle started. "He is a charmer, I got to tell you that. Been putting the wood to your girlfriend, Andrea." he looked over at Michonne. "Big time, baby."

All eyes turned to her.

"What? Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn looked to dad, then to Daryl.

"Right next to the Governor." Daryl answered, his voice flat.

Michonne stepped forward suddenly, raising her sword.

Maggie's gun aimed at her as dad moved in front of her. "I told you to drop that!" he yelled. When he spoke next, his voice was a little more calm, and precise. "You know Andrea?" when she didn't answer he asked again. "Hey, do you know Andrea?"

"Yep," Merle spoke, "She does. Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling in the forest. Mmm-mmm-mmm. Yeah. My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about-"

"Shut up, bro." Daryl snapped.

Merle just chuckled. "Hey, man, we snagged them out of the woods. Andrea was close to dying."

"Isn't that why she's with him?" Maggie asked, making a good point.

"Yeah. Snug as two little bugs." Merle answered, going on. "So what you gonna do now, Sheriff, huh? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards."

"Shut up!" dad's patience was running thin.

Merle laughed. "Oh, man, look at this. Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in them."

"Merle shut up!" Glenn yelled, behind Daryl.

Daryl stepped closer to his brother. "You better shut this-"

Merle stepped away from the tree, all worked up. "Shut up yourself! Bunch of pussies, you roll-"

Dad smacked the butt of his gun into Merle's head, shutting him up and well, putting him on the ground knocked out.

Dad looked up at Daryl, who looked dad up and down.

"Asshole." dad mumbled towards Merle before walking towards the car, the other's following. But I stayed, looking down at Merle, Daryl still there as well.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping towards me.

I sighed. "Not really."

His hand came up to cup my good cheek as he tilted my head slightly to look at the damage. "I swear, I'm ever letting you out of my sight again."

I smiled, steppping forward until I was in his arms, He held me gently, probably aware that my whole body hurt. Resting my head on his chest I closed my eyes. "I think I'm okay with that."

**DPOV**

Glenn, Maggie, Rick and I stood together. I had been trying to convince them to let Merle come back with us. But none of them were budging.

"It won't work." Rick shook his head.

I sighed. "It's gotta."

"It'll stir things up." Risk pointed out. He seemed to be the only one of them answering, as if the other two didn't even want to think of the idea of having Merle around.

"Look, the Governor is probably on the way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle." I hoped they could see where I was coming from.

Maggie shook her head. "I'm not having him at the prison."

Glenn pointed behind us, in Merle's direction. "He had a gun to our heads. Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell blocks as Carol, or Beth, or Vickie?"

"He ain't a rapist."

"Well, his buddy is." Glenn said, earning a glare from Maggie.

The thought of the Governor being a rapist had me looking over at the car where Vic stood with the other woman. She hadn't even told us who had hurt her yet.  _Was she raped?_

I sighed, getting back to buisness. "They ain't buddies no more. Not after last night."

"There's no way Merle's gonna live there without putting everyone at each other's throats." Rick wasn't letting go.

"So you're gonna cut Merle loose and bring the Last Samurai home with us?"

"She's not coming back." Rick told me.

But Maggieturned to him, telling him otherwise. "She's not in a state to be on her own."

Glennturned from Maggie to Rick. "She did bring you guys to us."

"And then ditched us." It seemed like Rick didn't want both of them going back to the prison.

"At least let my dad stitch her up." was Maggie's finaly suggestion.

"She's too unpredictable."

I agreed with RIck. "That's right. We don't know who she is." I looked over at her, standing with Vic. "Merle, Merle's blood." I pointed out, getting back to convicing them.

"No, Merle is  _your_ blood." Glenn started. "My blood, my family is stadning right here and waiting for us back at the prison."

"And you're part of that family." Rick added. "But he's not. He's not."

There was no use, I could see it. It didn't matter what I said or did, they weren't letting home come back with us. So that left me with two options. Leave my brother, or leave them.

"Man, y'all don't know." I looked between then, and knew what I had to do. "Fine." I nodded. "We'll fend for ourselves."

"That's not what I was saying." Glenn started.

But before he could ge on, I spoke. "No him, no me."

"Daryl, you don't have to do that." Maggie said, her voice soft and kind.

"It was always Merle and I before this." I shrugged.

"Don't." Maggie sighed.

"You serious?" Glenn asked. I looked to Rick while he added. "You're just gonna leave like that."

"You'd do the same thing."

"And what are you gonna tell Vickie? What about Carol and everyone at the prison? What do we tell them, huh?"

I nodded. "Vickie has a choice. Either way, she'll understand." I looked at Maggie. "Say good-bye to your pop for me." I said before starting off.

"Daryl, are you serious?" Glenn asked, but I didn't answer or turn around. "Daryl!"

Rick caught up to me and put his hand on my chest, stopping me. "She's not going with you."

I sighed. "I'm not stayin'."

"Look at what she just went through. She lost her mum. Do you really think she'll be able to handle loosing you too?" he shook his head. "There's got to be another way.

"Don't ask me to leave him. I already did that once." I told him before going off again.

He was right behind me. "We started something last night. You realize that? Huh?"

"No him, no me. That's all I can say." we came to the car and I looked over at Vic.

She pushed herself off the car, frowning at us. "What's going on?"

I moved closer to her, resting a hand on her arm. "I can't leave Merle, not again-"

"So why can't he come with us?" she asked, obviously only suggesting it for me. I mean, why would she like him after he kidnapped her?

I looked over at Rick before saying, "He ain't allowed to go back to the prison."

"So what... what are you saying?"

I looked to the ground, sighing. "I'm going with him."

She stepped back, shaking her head. "You can't. You can't go."

"Vic-"

"I'm going with you then."

"You can't. You have to stay with your family." I sighed, feeling so guilty that I had to leave her behind.

She threw her arms around me, holding me tight. " _You_ are my family. Please. Please don't go. I don't want you to go."

I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her hair. "I'm sorry." I stepped back and away from her, moving to the back of the car. Opening the boot, I grabbed my crossbow. "Take care of yourself okay?" I told her, looking at where she stood beside me. "Take care of Lil Ass-Kicker. Carl. Your dad."

She shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Don't go. Don't leave me."

With my crossbow over one shoulder and a bag over another I stepped forward, brushing the tear away from her face. "Stay safe." I kissed her forehead. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me." I sighed before turning around and heading towards Merle.

"Daryl!" she called after me. "Daryl!"

Merle smiled, arms open.

"Come on, bro." I sighed as his arm went around my shoulder and we headed off.

**  
**

**Chapter 24**

**Tears, Bruises and a Nightmare**

**VPOV**

A hand pressed against my back and I turned to them, resting my head against Maggie's shoulder as I cried. Her hand rubbed my back soothingly as she directed me to the car. She got in first, moving to the middle before I got in. As I reached for the door, Glenn closed it for me, smiling sympathetically.

I tried to keep my crying quiet as I rested my head on the window, looking outside. I couldn't believe he had left me. I couldn't believe he was gone.

Glenn got in next to Maggie, while Michonne got in the passenger's side. Dad slid into the driver's seat before turning to look at me. He opened his mouth to say something but I shook my head, shutting him up before he got a word out.

He nodded, turning back around and starting the car. I cried all the way back to the prison, wondering if I should have gone with him...

 

...

 

I stayed in the car as the other got out. Dad had gotten out at the gate where Carol and Carl had been waiting for us. But I stayed, too numb inside to move.

I had stopped crying, instead my breaths came out as a slight sob every now and then. But I was calm, probably too calm.

Maggie turned back to look at me where she stood at the door of the car. "You coming." I just shook my head, looking out my window at nothing in particular. I heard her sigh before the door closed, leaving me alone.

I saw dad, Carol and Carl walk past the car, not seeing me still inside. I watched as they walked over to Hershel, Maggie and Beth. Beth moved over to dad, kissing him on the cheek before taking Maggie inside. Dad nodded, telling Carl and Carol to go inside as well, leaving him with just Hershel. They shook hands and I could see Hershel say something. They looked to the car, and I knew then that he had said something about me.

Dad walked over to my door, opening it, while Hershel stayed where he was. He knelt on the ground next to me, sighing. "Vickie, I'm sorry-"

"It's not your fault." I told him, voice flat and emotionless.

He shook his head. "Not just about Daryl. About m-"

I turned to look at him. "Dad. I know you're sorry, I do. And I know you have a lot you want to say. But I can't right now, okay?" he nodded and I went on. "I just- I need to go sleep, or something."

He stood up, nodding again. "Do you need help." I shook my head, going to get out of the car, but my whole body stiffened as I hissed in pain. His face turned to concern as he moved closer, leaning down. "What's wrong?"

My ribs felt like they were on fire, the pain radiating throughout my body. "I think one of my ribs is broken." I grunted.

"Hershel!" he called over his shoulder before turning back to me. "Show me." he said, reaching for my shirt.

I flinched back, not wanting him to see all the scars on my stomach and chest.

"What's wrong?" Hershel asked, coming to stand by dad.

"She thinks she might have a broken rib." dad told him.

Nodding Hershel looked at me. "You'll need to lift your shirt so I can see." but I shook my head.

Dad sighed. "Vickie we can't help if-"

"I don't want you to see what happened to me." I told him, eyes hard. "I don't want you to see the scars."

Dad's eye went wide. He didn't realize what lifting my shirt would do to me emotionally. I didn't blame him for caring, but I couldn't show him. I wasn't ready for people to see and know.

Nodding Hershel seemed to have a solution. "Rick, why don't you help Vickie to her room. I'll take care of her then. That way she'll be comfortable, and you won't see the scars." he turned to me. "Is that all right?"

I nodded, reaching out as my dad moved in closer and helped me out. It still hurt, and I cried out in pain as he moved me. But I knew it would have been much worse if I had moved myself.

"Rick, there's something you need to know before you go inside..."

**RPOV**

I helped Vickie walk as we entered the prison. It was slow, but I was there for her.

Going down the stairs was a bit tricky. I decided to go ahead of her one step each time, so she could lean on me if she had to.

I looked over to see Carl sitting on one of the tables, his gun in hand. I didn't need to turn to know he was watching the new people. Right now I need to make sure my daughter got down the stairs carefully even if there were only a few.

I helped her into the cell block, Carl and Hershel right behind us. We got to the stairs and I stopped, sighing. "Maybe you should stay down here-"

But she shook her head. "I want to be in my room."

Nodding, we slowly made our way up, ever so carefully. It was painful for her, I could tell, but the moment we were at the top, she seemed to relax a little. We moved to her room, where I helped her sit on the bottom bunk.

As I stepped back she nodded. "Thanks."

Hershel came in. "I'll take care of her from here, Rick."

I knew that was his polite way of asking me to leave, so I did. Thankfully I had things I had to do that would help keep me distract from worrying about Vickie's health for the time being.

**VPOV**

Hershel turned to me once dad had left. He moved over so he stood in front of me, a serious look in his eyes. "You're going to have to tell me what happened to you."

I looked away. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes, it does." was his reply.

I sighed. "Merle kicked me because I spat on him."

"And your face and neck? Did he do that too?"

I shrugged. "Some of it. He hit my face once. But The Governor, he hit me too and was the one who choked me."

There was a moment of silence, where he didn't move. But then he nodded. "Okay. So, do you want to show me your ribs now?"

With a deep sigh, I lifted my shirt, knowing he could see all my bruises and scars.

He stepped closer, frowning at the sight. "Victoria-"

"How bad are my ribs?" I cut him off.

"Without the proper equipment I can't know for sure, but I'd say it's only bruised. Where you were kicked, if the rib had broken it would have punctured your liver. If that was the case, you'd have internal bleeding and would be a lot worse than you are right now."

I sighed. "So it's just bruised? Then why does it hurt so much?"

"Like I said, the liver's right there. That's probably bruised as well, and all the tissue in between. It'll heal, but not for a week or so."

"Okay. Thanks doc." I mumbled, pulling down my shirt.

"You need something else?" he asked kindly as I shifted so I could lie down.

I shook my head. "No, I think I just want to be alone. But thanks."

He simply nodded before leaving, not once mentioning the scars or other bruises that seemed to now cover me...

**MPOV**

Dad walked into the enterance of my cell. I had walked past Glenn's room before, seeing the two of them in there talking. I wasn't sure what they had been talking about, and it worried me. I had no clue if Glenn had told anyone what had happened to me.

"You got something needs looking at?" dad asked as I continued to wipe the blood off my arm.

Ignoring his question, I asked my own. "Is Glenn alright?" I looked up at him.

He walked in, stepping to the side and gesturing out the door. "Go see." when I didn't say anything back he moved over and sat down next to me. Sighing he said, "You two seem to be holding something back. Vickie too. You want to tell me what happened?"

I thought about it, thought about telling him what had happened to me back there. I opened my mouth, ready to nothing came out. I just couldn't do it, to him or myself.

"I rest easy knowing you can handle yourself. You've got your mother's spirit. And her stubbourness." I couldn't help but smile at that. Changing the subject, he asked, "You hungry?"

I smiled again, looking over at him slightly. "No." I shook my head.

"Hey." I looked up at him properly and he continued. "Don't disappear on me." he said, before pulling me to him.

I rested my head on his shoulder as he held me. I felt safe and at home.

"Maggie?"

We both looked up to the doorway, there stood Vickie, slightly hunched over and arms around her stomach.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

I nodded, moving away from dad. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes flickered to dad and he seemed to get the message. "I'll leave you two to talk." he stood up, grabbing his crutches. "See what Rick's doing." he said before leaving.

Once he was gone I gestured for Vickie to come sit on the bed. She nodded, moving to sit next to me. We were silent at first, as I waited for her to speak.

Finally she did.

"I heard what Glenn said... about the Governor... and what he did to you..."

I tensed, looking away. "Vickie-"

"He did something to me too." her voice was so quiet and low I thought for sure I hadn't actually heard her. But when I turned to look at her I could see the glisten in her eyes of tears forming.

"What happened?"

She shuddered. "He-he pushed me against the wall..." she looked at her hands that were fiddling with my blanket. "He choked me until I couldn't breath." I looked at her neck, now knowing what caused the bruises there.

"Did he do anything else?"

She nodded, a tear falling. " He dropped me, yelling over and over, 'Tell me where your camp is.'. But I wouldn't tell him. So he hit me." her hand came up to wipe a tear away from her bruised cheek. "Then he pulled my hair until I was standing, and then pushed me against the wall again, only this time it was my chest pressed against the wall. Then he... he..." she hiccuped as the tears kept running.

I rested a hand on her knee. "You can tell me."

Nodding she went on. "He... pulled down my pants and took off my shoes." she lifted her shirt slightly, showing me her old scars but also the new bruises. "He held me so tight as he pushed himself against me." her hands shook. "His hands touching me..." she put her shirt down. "He said he'd kill you and Glenn-"

"Vickie he didn't-"

She shook her head frantically. "No! He didn't. He just dropped me and left." she wiped her face again. "Then I blacked out from a panic attack. When I woke up I was where I had been before and nothing seemed to have changed."

I let a sigh of relief out, pulling her into a hug. "It's okay. We're safe now."

She held me, nodding her head. "I just wish Daryl were here..."

I pulled back, smiling sympathetically. "I'm sorry he left."

She just shook her head. "You don't need to apologize. I know you and Glenn have every right not wanting Merle around." she sighed, looking back down, "Maggie, what did he do to you?"

**VPOV**

After Maggie told me what had happened to her at Woodbury, we had just sat in silence for awhile. We were both emotionally and phusically tired. The events of what had happened, drained our energy.

I also knew she and Glenn weren't exactly the happy couple they had been just yesterday. Thinking about that brought thoughts of Daryl to mind. How I had remembered the first time we met, and before I could tell him he was gone.

After an hour or so I got up and left Maggie alone.

Limping, I made my way upstairs, keeping my head low. As I reached the top my eyes landed on all of Daryl's things that were still here, packed up like he left them, against the wall and out of the way.

I grabbed all of it, slowly making my room as the added weight added pressure, making everything hurt so much more.

I set everything up in the corner nice and neatly, grabbing his poncho and putting on before moving to the bed.

I laid down, curling up as much as I could without making myself cry because of the pain. Once settled, I closed my eyes, ready to fall asleep and dream of Daryl.

_I walked along the fence of the farm. I remember it as soon as I saw it. The barn, the house, the tents. It was Hershel's farm. Only difference was the sky... it's blood red colour eerie and menacing._

_"Vic!"_

_I looked over at the tents, seeing Carol folding a mountain of clothes. Glenn and Maggie sat cross legged, holding hands, unmoving. Dad and Carl paced along the other side of the camp, guns raised both wearing police uniforms. Hershel and Beth stood around a baby crib, looking into it. Axel sat in a tree above Carol, waving down at her with a wide smile._

_"Vic!"_

_My name was called once more, and I knew it was Daryl's voice I was hearing. But he wasn't there with the others..._

_I moved towards the camp where they all were. I headed for the crib first, hoping Hershel would be able to help me._

_"Have you seen Daryl?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder._

_He simply shook his head. "We're waiting."_

_I frowned, looking over at Beth before going back to him. "Waiting for what."_

_"The baby." they both said at the same time in a monotone voice._

_I stepped back from them, needing to find out if anyone knew where Daryl was. So I went to Maggie and Glenn._

_"Hey, have you guys seen Daryl?"_

_Glenn's hand came up to caress Maggie's cheek. "Only Maggie."_

_She smiled, her hand reaching for his cheek. "Only Glenn."_

_"Guys. Have you seen Daryl?"_

_"Maggie."_

_"Glenn."_

_Their voices were filled with content love, sighing sweetly. They were engrossed in eachother._

_I stepped back and looked around the group, seeing all of them concentrating on whatever they were doing. Like the world wasn't real and all they knew was what they were doing._

_"Vic!"_

_I looked away from the others, my eyes landing on the barn. That's were he was. I could feel it._

_Running, I made my way over there, smiling. I was going to see him. I was going to be able to hug him again. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this relieved._

_But as I reached the barn, I found myself alone, standing in front of the chained doors to the barn._

He must be inside... _I thought before placing a hand on the lock._

_"You don't want to do that."_

_I jumped, turning to look at Daryl. "You scared me." I smiled, stepping closer and wrapping my arms around him._

_He hugged me back with the same need I had. It was perfect. I had missed him so much._

_"Vickie..."_

_"Victoria..."_

_I turned my head to look at the barn, hearing voices from inside. They sounded sickly, and distorted, calling my name teasingly._

_"Come let us out Vickie."_

_I moved away from Daryl, stepping closer to the door._

_"You don' wanna go in there." he told me, his hand resting on my shoulder._

_"Why not?"_

_"The dead are in there." he pulled my shoulder turning me around._

_I screamed like I have never screamed before. Daryl was groteque, rotten flesh, green and pale. Half his face was just raw, red, meat, exposed because of the missing skin. His hair was greasy and falling out. His teeth, black, with blood smeared around his mouth._

_I screamed again, backing up until I was pressed against the door to the barn. "Help!"_

_The walker that had once been Daryl slowly moved closer, snarling and moaning. "Vic-c. Come here." he groaned. "Help me."_

_"Vickie!" behind Daryl I could see my dad running towards us."Get out! Get out!" he gestuered for me to move._

_I went to run, but my feet wouldn't move. Looking down I saw why. I was stuck in mud, keeping me from getting away._

_"Dad!" I screamed, Daryl still moving closer. "Daddy!"_

_Dad pushed Daryl to the ground, tackling him with his gun to the walker's head. "What are you doing here?" he screamed._

I shot up out of bed, sweating and panting.

"Okay, we're going."

"Let's go. Just go! Go! Go!"

I threw myself out of bed, running down the stairs as fast as I could with my injuries. I moved to the door to the other part of the cell block where I saw all the others standing around looking at my dad with fear and shock.

The gate to the outside closed and I noticed the other people were gone.

"Daddy?"

**  
**

**Chapter 25**

**Ambushed and Surrounded**

**VPOV**

I played with Judith's feet while Beth made her a bottle. She smiled up at me, her hands holding on to bits of my hair. "So beautiful." I sighed, kissing her toes. She giggled and I couldn't help but pick her up, holding her close to my heart.

"She likes you." Beth smiled as she came up the stairs.

I nodded. "Well I'd like to think she does, seeing as I'm her sister."

Beth just laughed as I handed Judith over so she could feed her. "You know, you can feed her if you want..."

I just shook my head, moving to the stairs. "I've got someone I need to see." I shrugged as I kept moving.

**DPOV**

"There ain't nothing out here but mosquitoes and ants." I sighed, waiting for Merle to finish his piss.

"Patience, little brother. Sooner or later, a squirrel is bound to scaurry across your path."

"Even so," I looked around, "that ain't much food."

"Yeah. More than nothin'."

"I'd have better luck going through one of them houses we passed on the turnoff."

"Is that what your new friends taught you? Hmm?" he asked as he zipped up his pants. "How to loot for booty?" he walked up to stand by me.

I pushed myself off the tree, not looking at him. "We've been at it for hours. Why don't we find a stream, try our luck with some fish?" I suggested, raising my bow.

"I think you're just tryin' to lead me back to the road, man. Get me over to that prison."

"They got shelter." I noted, leaning against the tree again. Food. A pot to piss in. Might not be a bad idea."

"For you, maybe. Ain't gonna be no damn party for me." he grabbed the rope of our trap, pulling it up.

"Everyone will get used to each other." I shrugged.

"They're all dead. Makes no difference."

An image of Vickie, smiling as she played with Carl came to mind. The thought of that smile, of  _her_  disappearing, never been able to see her again. It wasn't something I liked thinking about.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Right about now he's probably hosting a housewarming party where he's gonna bury what's left of your pals." he spat. "Let's hook some fish." he said, walking past me. "Come on."

I watched as he walked off, spitting on the ground too before following him. If he was right or wrong, it didn't matter. I chose him, now I had to live with that...

**VPOV**

I sat in front of my mum's grave, looking at the stone 'L' that had been placed there.

"Hey mum." I sighed, looking at the ground where I puled out bits of grass.

I had wanted to come out here earlier, but Glenn wanted to talk to everyone and figure out where the breach to the prison was. We all knew that if Tyresse and his people made it in, it wouldn't be hard for the Governor.

But I had left early, coming down to talk to mum... to say goodbye.

"You know, I remember a lot more. I remember lots actually. The farm, the camp outside of Atlanta. I even remember things from before all this, like school and my friends. Just the other day I remebered who Lisa was. You remember. She was my best friend, but you never liked her because she slept around." I laughed to myself. "You had told me I shouldn't hang around girls who throw themselves at boys. Then I told you she didn't sleep with boys only older men, and that had made you even more determined to make me stop being friends with her...

"'Girls your age shouldn't be going out with people who are old enough to be their dad.' you said." I nodded, thinking about Daryl. "I remember when I first started taking a liking to Daryl, you had been unsure, hoping nothing would come of it. I guess at the end you didn't mind as much."

There was a silence as I looked up, seeing dad outside the prison fences.

"You know, Daryl's gone now. He just left... maybe you were right to be worried."

**DPOV**

I kept walking, not bothering turning around to look at Merle. I knew he was pissed that I had stopped him from taking food from thse people, but I just couldn't let him do it. They had a baby, and by the looks of things they needed as much supplies as they could get. There car was full of basically everything other than food and weapons...

"What the shit you doin' pointing that thing at me?" he snapped, not dropping the fact that I had my bow pointed at him.

I shrugged, still moving through the forest. "They were scared, man."

"They were rude is what they were. Rude and they owed us a token of gratitude."

I scoffed. "They didn't owe us nothin'."

"You helpin' people out of the goodness of your heart? Even though you might die doin' it? Is that somethin' your Sheriff Rick taught you? Or his peach of a daughter?"

I didn't like him talking about Vic, but I knew if I said something about it he wouldn't stop. "There was a baby!" I pointed out.

"Oh, otherwise you would have left them to the biters, then?"

"Man, I went back for ya. You weren't there. I didn't cut off you hand, neither. You did that. Way before they locked you up on that roof. You asked for it."

He chuckled. "You know... You know what's funny to me? Hmm? You and Sheriff Rick are like this now. Right? I bet you a penny and a fiddle of gold, huh that you never told him that we were planing on robbin' that camp blind. Never told the girl either, huh?"

It was true, I hadn't even told Vic. If she had know, I don't think she would look at me the way she does now. "It didn't happen."

"Yeah. It's didn't 'cause I wasn't there to help you."

"What, like when we were kids, huh? Who left who then?"

"What? Huh? Is that why I lost my hand?"

"You lost your hand 'cause you're a simpleminded piece of shit." I yelled in his face before turning away, walking past him.

He grabbed my shirt, pulling. "Yeah? You don't know!"

My shirt ripped and I fell to the ground, my scarred back bare for him to see...

"I-I-I didn't know he was-"

"Yeah, you did." I started packing up my things, trying to cover my back as best I could. "He did the same to you. That's why you left first." I stood.

"I had to, man. I would have killed him otherwise."

I started walking off, not giving him a response to that.

"Where you goin'?"

"Back where I belong." I stopped, looking over at him.

He sighd. "I can't go with you. I-I tried to kill that black bitch. Damn near killed the Chinese kid."

"He's Korean." I corrected.

He shrugged, shaking his head. He had never liked being corrected. "Whatever. Doesn't matter, man. I just can't go with you."

"You know," I nodding, pointing at him, "I may be the one walking away, but you're the one that's leaving... again." with that I walked off, heading for the prison.

**VPOV**

I laid back on the grass for sometime, looking up at the clouds. I knew I should be up at the prison helping out, but I wasn't ready. There were just too many things on my mind.

I couldn't stop thinking about the dreams I had been having. They weren't all the same, but they were always horrible.

There was one nightmare where I was locked up at Woodbury again, only this time it wasn't just the Governor there. Jason and the others who had been with him watched with the Governor and Shane kissed and touched me all over.

I hated the one where I stood on the second floor of the barn, no windows or doors except for the one that had been locked in my first dream. But on the ground were walkers... not just any walkers. Mum, Theodore, Dale, Sophia, Jaqui, Jim, Amy. They all walked around aimlessly, and all I could do was sit there and watch them, too scared to jump down.

Since Tyresse and his people had left a few days ago, my nights were filled with horrors and monsters. Sleeping was becoming a thing of the past.

Carl had noticed something was up. He had come into my cell one night, woken up by my tossing and turning. He woke me up from a nightmare, scaring me even more. But when I realized it was him, I simply moved over so he could lay down with me.

I know it seems weird that my younger brother calmed me down, but when I woke up, panting and sweating from what ever horrible thing I had just been going through, it was nice to know he was there.

Sighing, I got up. I had been down here long enough. It was time I actually did something useful. So I started to move through the field, heading for the gate.

A gun shot went off and I saw Axel go down.

I froze, my head looking to the other side of the fence. That's where I saw the Governor and his people, guns in hands.

Gun shots went off and I fell to the ground, covering myself as best I could. The long grass helped a little, but I could hear them still firing at me.

"Hershel! Get down!" I yelled, seeing him standing by the fence.

I could here the others by the prison, shots been fired at everyone, all over the place. I had no gun, no weapon, no gear. All I could do was lie there and hope we'd all be okay.

It felt like hours had gone by, but I knew it had only been minutes. There was a pause, everything falling silent.

I looked up, thinking that maybe I could make a run for it.

A gun went off and my arm felt as if it was on fire.

I yelled out in pain, looking down where I had been hit. I knew it was a clean shot, straight through, but it still hurt. The bullet had hit the side of my arm where if I had been hit any other way it could have either grazed me or hit an artery.

"Vickie!" Hershel called, probably having heard me yell.

The guns stopped again and in the distance I could hear a vehicle approaching.

I carefully looked up, seeing what looked like a mail delivery truck ram through the two gates to the field. It stopped only a few meters away from me. Suddenly the ramp at the back of it, which had been used like a door, fell to the ground.

I heard the snarling before I saw the walkers make their way out of the back of the truck.

My heart started to race as I realized I had no way to defend myself, and that Hershel was also stuck on the field. "Shit."

More gun shot went off, making me cover myself with the grass once more, trying to hide from the people and walkers.

"Hershel, Vickie, get the hell out of there!" I heard dad yell.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." a walker had spotted me, coming right my way. Staying low I tried to move away, but I wasn't fast enough, I knew I had to get up. So I stood but the walker still managed to grab my shoulders before I could get away.

Grunting I put my hands on it's chest, pushing it back, keeping it from biting me.

"Vickie!" Hershel yelled as he shot some walkers.

The gate to the courtyard opened as the others came out, shooting walkers left right and center.

I kicked the walker back, slamming my foot into it's head before running over to Hershel. Before I got there I was grabbed again, a walker pulling me to it.

Over it's shoulder I could see Michonne making her way towards Hershel and me, sword out as she killed walkers. Glenn, in one of the cars, was driving over towards us too.

"Get in the car!" I told Hershel as he stood up, Glenn parking the car.

Glenn got out, raising his gun at the walker holding me. Before he could shoot the walker fell to the ground, an arrow in it's head.

I looked to the forest, near where dad was. Daryl and Merle were there, helping dad kill the walkers that had him pinned.

"Vickie, come on!" Glenn yelled.

I ran to the car, getting in the back with Michonne. Glenn drove off, heading for the gate to the court yard. As soon as we were in, Carl closed the gate.

I got out of the car, holding my arm as I hissed in pain.

"You okay?" Maggie asked Hershel as he got out of the car.

"Yes, baby." he looked over at me. "What happened?"

I turned so he could see my arm. "Got shot." I said, clenching my jaw.

He had a look, nodding. "Bullet went straight through. But you'll need stitches. Come on."

"What about dad, Daryl and Merle." I asked, not moving.

Maggie just grabbed my good arm, leading me to the prison as her dad said, "We need to take care of you first. Don't you worry about them."

Looking over my shoulder I saw the three of them on the other side of the fence, in between them and us was the field, full of walkers. It was a bittersweet moment. We had Daryl back... but now the Governor had us exactly where he wanted us...

**  
**

**Chapter 26**

**Heat Filled Memories**

**VPOV**

Since we all got inside it had been the same thing. Hershel trying to convince everyone that we should leave. Merle telling us over and over that we should go before the Governor does something; and then usually adds some details at the end. Glenn stood by my dad, stating that we're not cowards and we won't run. Everyone had something to say. I was fine with whatever honestly, there were good points to each side. But as long as we stuck together, I wasn't going to complain.

Hershel had finished stitching up my arm, bandaged it, and told me I should rest, seeing as my body had been through hell for the last week.

"Hey."

I rolled over on the bottom bunk of my bed, seeing Daryl standing in the door way. "Hi."

He chewed his nail, looking away. "How's your arm?"

"Sore." I answered plainly. "I was shot."

He sighed. "Vic-"

"You left."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

I sat up, sitting cross legged on the bed. "You left and I didn't know if I would ever see you again. Do you know how worried I was? I haven't been able to sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see images of you as a walker."

"Vic-"

"Do you have any idea what you did to me? To all of us?" I shook my head. "We're family here, Daryl. You're a part of this family. How could you just turn your back on us?"

"Merle's my brother. He's blood." he argued.

"Yeah, okay. He's your brother. He's your blood. But wasn't he the same guy who kidnapped us, who had a gun to  _my_  head?" I pointed to my face. "The Governor's not the only one who hit me. And my ribs? That's your brother. He was going to  _kill_  me, Daryl. And you just left with him."

"I didn't know he hurt you-"

"But you knew he hurt Glenn. You knew he nearly killed Glenn. Threw a walker at him." I shrugged. "You still left."

"You don't understand. I left him before. I couldn't do it again!" he yelled. "And anyway, it was your dad who locked him up on that roof."

My jaw dropped as I got off the bed. "I don't know if you remember but I volunteered to go look for Merle." I stood just over a foot away from him, looking up into his eyes as I boiled with anger. "I was right there with you in the back of that truck telling Shane and my dad that I was going to help. I didn't like what had happened. So don't you dare use that on me. It's not my fault!"

"You remember?" his voice was low and quiet again.

I nodded, trying to calm myself as well. "I've remember a lot acually."

There was a silence that fell between us and I realized no one had come to see what all the commotion was about. But then again they were busy arguing over whether we should go or not.

Daryl's hand rested on my arm as he stepped closer. "I couldn't stop thinkin' about you. What might happen if I wasn't there to protect you. It made me sick." he sighed. "So I came back."

"You would have come back even if I wasn't here." I gave him a half smile. "It's just the kind of person you are."

He scoffed. "Think you got the wrong person."

I shook my head, stepping forward until there was no space between us. "It's true Daryl. You're one of the kindest, bravest, most caring people I've met." I pushed my lips against his, kissing him softly, my lips only brushing against his.

I pulled back so our lips weren't touching, but we were still so close. His hands held my waist, holding me to him.

"I missed you." I whispered.

He rested his forehead against mine. "I missed you too."

**DPOV**

I leaned against the railing right outside Vic's and my room. I had stayed in there last night, holding her as we slept. She told me she had been sleeping with my poncho on, it apparently helped her relax. But this morning she told me it was nothing like having me there. I felt so guilty, leaving her, but I was grateful she didn't hate me.

Right now she stood next to me, Beth on her other side and Carol next to Beth. We looked down at Rick as he talked, the argument from last night still going on.

"We're not leaving."

"We can't stay here." Hershel wasn't letting it go. He wanted to leave, to find somewhere else. But it wasn't that easy.

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie was right, Woodbury had weapons we couldn't fight against.

"We can't even go outside." Beth sighed. It was true, we couldn't exactly leave when the Governor might have people waiting outside for us to move.

"Not in the daylight." Carol noted.

"Even if we do make it out, where can we go?" Vic asked. "You looked all over the place during the winter, and the herds are just getting bigger, coming together."

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn was stuck on the idea of fighting, but he just didn't get it. We didn't have the numbers or the supplies to win this.

"No," Merle started from the other part of the cell. Rick had locked him in there, keeping him from the rest to lessen the conflict. "Better to live like rats."

"You got a better idea?" Rick asked, surprisingly.

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

I moved along the walk way. "We ain't scared of that prick."

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to."

Maggie turned to Rick. "Let's put him in the other cell block."

"No." I sighed. "He's got a point."

She turned to Merle, obviously still pissed at him. "This is all you. You started this."

"What's the difference whose fault it is?" Beth called, shutting her sister up. "What do we do?"

"I said we should leave." Hershel started up again. "Now Axel's dead." all eyes turned to him. "We can't just sit here."

Rick turned away from him, heading for the door.

"Get back here!" Hershel's voice echoed off the walls as he got up, shouting at Rick. Rick stopped, and so Hershel moved towards him. "You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something."

**VPOV**

Dad walked away, going to check out the perimeter. I looked down, seeing Carl watch dad go. Sighing, I made my way down to my brother, knowing that look in his eyes.

"He won't like you going out there with him."

Carl just turned and shrugged. "I need to talk to him."

"About what?"

He looked to the ground, saying, "I think he should stop being the leader. With everything that's happened, maybe he should have a break. Let someone else do it."

I nodded, leaning against the wall. "I think you're right. But what do you think dad will say?"

"Does it matter? He needs to know how we feel." he straightened up, turning for the gate. "I'm going to tell him." I watched him as he walked out, moving right past Merle.

Merle's eyes followed my brother as he walked away before turning to look at me. He nodded and turned away, moving to the area where he had set up his things- though he didn't have much seeing as it was all at Woodbury.

I marched to the gate, going in the next section and into Merle's 'room'. He didn't look up at me, didn't say anything. Just sat down on his bed.

"Are you going to say anything to me, or am I going to have to hate my boyfriend's brother forever?"

He shrugged. "If you want me to apologise for hurtin' ya then fine. I'm sorry I punched and kicked and nearly killed-"

"I don't care about that. I know you were doing what you were told. What I want you to do is apologize for what you said. You told me Daryl was just using me to get back at my dad. You were wrong. Now apologize."

He scoffed, looking up. "You got fire, don't ya?" he nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry for telling ya that Daryl was using you. I didn't know the truth, and I shouldn't have said anything." he sighed. "That good enough?"

I gave a short nod. "Thank you." I turned, going back to the cells.

"Have you told him?"

I stopped, looking over my shoulder. "Told him what?"

He stood up, moving to the doorway of his room, leaning against it. "About what the Governor did."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He laughed. "You can't pretend sweetheart. I know what he did. To you and Maggie. I also know what Daryl will do if you told him."

"He'd want to skin the man alive and hang him from a tree for the walkers." I turned to face him proply. "He'd go on a war path."

"That might be what we need."

But I just shook my head. "He'll go on a war path, and he'll lose."

 

...

 

"Take watch. Eyes open, head down." dad told someone as he headed for the end of the cell block. "Field's filled with walkers." he sighed. "I didn't see any snipers out there but we'll keep Maggie on watch."

I stood with Michonne and Hershel watching Daryl as he came down the stairs to stand by me, dad and Glenn joining us too.

"Vic and I can get up in the guard tower, take out half them walkers, give these guys a chance to fix the fence." Daryl shrugged, carefully giving my dad a reason to let me go with him.

"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Michone suggested.

"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Hershel pointed out. By the time we got the field sorted, we wouldn't have enough ammo to defend ourselves against the Governor.

"So we're trapped in here." Glenn shook his head. "There's barely any food or ammo."

"Been here before. We'll be all right." Daryl shrugged.

"We can go out hunting." I suggested. "You said you didn't see any snipers. Daryl, Merle and I can go out and hunt, stay low and quiet. Plus it'll get Merle out of everyone's hair for awhile. And he'll help us, keep an eye out for anything that might be suspicious."

Glenn shook his head. "No way do I trust Merle getting us food."

Daryl turned to look at him, not liking what he said. "Man, we gonna go through this again? Look, Merle's stayin' here. He's with us now. Get used to it. All y'all." he said before walking off, up the stairs.

Dad went to follow but I shook my head. "I got this." I gave him a half smile before heading up to my room where Daryl had gone. I poked my head around the corner into the cell. "Is the coast clear? Can I come in?"

He nodded, pacing the room.

I sighed, sitting on the bed. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know why they can't just deal with it. He helped Rick back when he was pinned on the fence by walkers. He got us out of Woodbury, helped us escape. He's-"

"Your brother." I cut him off. "But he's not Glenn's brother. Or Michonne's. He tried to kill them. That's not something you can easily forgive."

"You did."

I smiled. "Yeah, but I'm not normal, remember. I went all crazy and crawled around like a monkey."

He gave a short laugh, his pacing slowing. "Why did you forgive him?"

I shrugged. "He apologized."

"So? Would you forgive the Governor if he said sorry?"

I rolled my eyes. "No." I sighed. "But he's your brother. I can't hate him Daryl. Just like you can't hate my dad for locking him up on that roof. There's just somethings you have to let go of. This is one of them."

"You know I forgave Rick before I started liking you."

I scoffed, standing up. "You liked me the moment I took your knife from you."

He grinned as I moved to stand in front of him, my hands moving up to rest on his shoulder. "I've been meaning to give you this." he pulled something out of the back of his pants.

I smiled as he handed me the knife. "I thought it was at Woodbury."

He shook his head. "Merle got it back 'fore we left. Gave it to me when he realized he couldn't give it back to you."

I held the knife, looking down at the blade. "You know Merle was talking to me when I remembered how we met. It was like what he was saying triggered the memory."

"What else do you remember?" he asked as I slipped the kinfe into the back of my pants.

I smiled, looking up at him. "That's a hard question to answer. There's a lot up here now." I gestured to my head.

He grinned, leaning forward. "Do you remember more about me?"

I nodded, my skin shivering at the feel of his breath on my cheek, so close. "My favourite memory is when we kissed for the first time."

"Are you sure you remember the first time?" his lips brushed my cheek.

I let out a quiet sigh. "You carried me to your truck. I was having a panic attack. The CDC was about to blow up. When it did, the force pushed you against me. And when it was over and you pulled back, I kissed you."

"Mmm. What else do you remember?" he asked, lips moving to my jaw. He was placing soft kisses along my skin, but his hands held my waist with a strength that told me he was trying to hold back.

My eyes closed as he backed me up against the wall. "When Maggie caught us making out. How you had me against the wall then just like now."

He nodded, his hands moving to my thigh, pulling one leg up. "Anything else?" his fingers rubbed and squeezed my leg, adding more heat to my core as my body seemed to vibrate with want.

"The night you got shot. When you..." I couldn't even say it. The thought alone was enough to get me going.

He grinned against my skin, his lips now at my neck. "Hmm, any more?"

"Oh God." I whispered, moaning as he kept kissing my neck. "In the tent. Our first time together. The way you looked at me, hungry and determined." my hands moved to run through his hair at the back of his neck.

He lifted his head and I opened my eyes to look at him. His eyes were dark and cloudy, desire filling him. Just like in the tent. "You remember more?" he asked as he moved back to my neck.

"Uh-huh." I nodded, my eyes closing once more. "When we were hunting. That deer got away and I went under the water. The way you were staring at me, watching me. How we were against the tree and-"

He lifted me off the ground completely, wrapping my legs around him. I could feel the lump in his pants, pressing against my thigh as his hands moved to unzip my pants.

"Someone's impatient." I grinned, bitting my lip as he pushed himself against me more.

"So, God damn beautiful. Just wanna-"

"Hey, Daryl, Vickie. We got a situation outside!" Glenn yelled from down stairs.

"Shit." Daryl put me down, adjusting himself as he stepped back.

I sighed, pulling my shirt down and moving to the bed. I reached under it, grabbing the gun that was there. "Looks like we've got work to do."

As I headed for the door he grabbed my arm, pulling me to him before pressing his lips against mine. "We're not finished here."

I grinned, nodding. "Never thought we were."

**  
**

**Chapter 27**

**Friend or Foe?**

**DPOV**

As soon as Rick told us what was happening, I put all thoughts of what Vic and I had been doing to the side. I couldn't afford being distracted.

Apparently Maggie and Carl had seen Andrea heading towards the prison while they were on watch. Carl came to tell Rick, and then we were in action.

Guns and weapons at the ready we left the safety of inside one by one. Rick was out first, with me right behind him. Then Merle, Vic, Michonne and lastly Beth. Carol was up on the walkway with Glenn. Hershel inside. Maggie and Carl going out the other exit across the courtyard.

I could see Andrea making her way up the hill, a walker with her, with something around it's neck so she could control it. It looked like she had also taken off it's arms and jaw- like what Merle said Michonne had done...

"Go." Rick nodded.

Merle went forward, gun raised as he scanned the area for any potential threat. "Clear!" with that we all moved forward towards the gate.

"Are you alone?" Rick asked as he put his back to the gate.

"Open the gate." she told her, not answering his question.

So he repeated it, on this time more aggressive. "Are you alone?"

"Rick!"

Rick nodded at me, throwing the keys. I unlocked it and moved the chain, nodding to Merle. "Open it."

With the gate open Andrea got rid of the walker and ran in.

"Hands up! Turn around. Turn around now!" Rick backed her up the the fence as Merle shut the gate. Rick searched her checking for weapons.

A walker threw it's self at the fence and Andrea screamed.

"Get down on the floor." Rick pulled her away fro the fence, pushing her to her knees. He kept searching her, taking her bag away. "I asked if you were alone."

"I am." she sighed, confused.

With her bag away, and no threat seeming to be around the others relaxed a little. Vic moved to stand next to me, looking down at Andrea.

Rick moved back next to Andrea. "Welcome back." he grabbed her arm. "Get up."

**VPOV**

We all headed back inside. Andrea looked around the place, slowing her steps. At the sight of Carol she moved down the stairs, hugging the other woman.

I moved to place my things on a table, Daryl following me. I sat on the table top, watching Andrea as she and Carol hugged.

"Hershel, my God." Andrea stepped back from Carol, looking at the old mans missing leg. "I can't believe this." she looked around at all of us and I noticed she realized we were short a few people. "Where's Shane?" I looked over at dad for a split second, knowing but not remembering what happened. "And Lori?"

At the mention of my mum I grabbed Daryl's hand, moving closer to where he had one foot on the chair of the table. He squeezed my hand comfortingly.

"She had a girl." Hershel answered as everyone else looked away from Andrea. "Lori didn't survive."

"Neither did T-Dog." Maggie added.

"I'm so sorry." Andrea's eyes went to my brother. "Carl..." she stepped closer to him.

I got off the table moving to stand next to Carl as we both gave her a look that told her to back off. Andrea and I had never really been close, I remembered that much. When Amy had died things changed and we grew apart. But that didn't mean I hadn't wondered about her over the last nine months.

I just couldn't forget about the fact she was with the Governor.

"Vickie?" she looked at me but when she realized she wasn't getting anywhere with us she turned to dad. "Rick, I..." he looked away, stepping back slightly. Andrea looked to the rest of the group, dropping the subject. "You all live here?"

"Here and the cell block." Glenn answered.

"There?" she pointed towards the entrance of the cell block. Glenn nodded. "Well, can I go in?"

Dad moved in her way. "I won't allow that."

"I'm not an enemy, Rick."

"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up." he shrugged.

"He said you fired first." she replied, seeming confused.

"Well, he's lying." dad answered.

"He shot Vickie." Glenn told her. Andrea turned to look at me, seeing the bandage on my arm.

"He killed an inmate who survived in here." Hershel added.

"We liked him." Daryl spoke up. "He was one of us."

She shook her head. "I didn't know anything about that. As soon as I found out, I came." she turned to Glenn. "I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out."

"That was days ago." Glenn noted, not letting her have excuses.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could." she looked between Maggie, Glenn and me before turning to Michonne. "What have you told them?"

"Nothing."

"She didn't exactly have to say anything." I shrugged. "Everything happened before she came along."

"He almost killed Michonne and he would have killed us." Glenn added.

She pointed to Merle. "With his finger on the trigger. Isn't he the one who kidnapped you, who beat you?" she sighed. "Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Phillip has done. But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out." dad stepped up to her. Nodding he said, "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."

She just shook her head in response. "We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you."

Merle chuckled. "You know better than that."

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate?" Hershel asked, being the mature one and actually discussing the situation at hand. "Did he say that?"

"No."

"Then why did you come here?" dad asked.

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack."

"I'll tell you what." she looked to Daryl as he spoke. "Next time you see  _Phillip_ , you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye."

"We've taken too much shit for too long. We wants a war? He's got one." the look on Glenn's face was so serious, so determined there was no way you'd think he was bluffing. He was ready for whatever he had to do.

Andrea just turned to my dad, hoping he'd be reasonable. "Rick. If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town." he just looked at her so she sighed, turning to the rest of us, looking hopeful that at least one of us would see her side. "Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone any more."

Dad walked to stand in front of her. "You want to make this right, get us inside."

"No." she said instantly

With that answer dad walked past her, heading for the cell block. "Then we got nothing to talk about."

"There are innocent people."

Daryl sighed, standing up. "You do what you gotta do. But he's going down no matter what." he shrugged, following my dad.

With that the rest of us moved to the cell block, leaving Andrea and Michonne alone.

 

...

 

I sat in my cell with Maggie. She had offered to help me change my was outside on watch with Merle and Glenn.

Carol was on the perch with Judith. The little baby cries catching my attention. I worried about her, cared for her. In a world like this I had the idea of my baby sister possibly getting eating by walkers.

"You can't leave without meeting Lil Ass-Kicker." I heard Carol's voice.

Then there was Andrea. "May I hold her?"

I went to stand up, to stop her from touching my sister, but Maggie held me down, still cleaning my stitches. "Let her. She was one of us. Judith is like her family too."

I clenched my jaw. "Doesn't mean I have to like the idea of her being here. That man has her under his spell. You know what I'm talking about. You saw it when he..." I stopped myself, both of us falling silent.

"What happened to Lori?" Andrea asked Carol, both of them still out there. They had spoken while Maggie and I talked but I wasn't sure what they had said.

"During a C-section." Carol answered. "Maggie. Carl had too-"

"Oh, my God."

"T-Dog died leading me to safety."

"And Shane?"

At the mention of Shane again, I tensed up.

"Rick killed him." Carol said, followed by a silence before she explained. "The night we left the farm. That whole Randall thing was a lie. Shane tried to kill Rick."

"Shane loved Rick." Andrea argued.

"Shane loved Vickie."

_I was in the CDC lounge room. I walked toward one of the book shelve before pulling out book to look at. Before I could read, the sound of a door slamming behind me caused me to jump and turn around._

_Shane stood there leaning against the wall looking at me, obviously wanting to talk._

_"I'm tired." I said before I put the book back._

_He sighed and took a few steps towards me. "We need to talk."_

_"I don't want to talk right now." I shook my head, looking at the shelf._

_"I don't care what you want. I'm going to talk and you're going to listen." he told me._

_I spun on my heels to look at him. "You wanna talk? Fine we'll talk." I moved so I was standing in front of him. "Let's talk about 'us'. About how you said you wouldn't hide it and then that's what you did. About how you used me for yourself. You never cared about me, ever." I snapped._

_"That's not true." he sighed._

_I shook my head. "I don't believe you."_

_I moved towards the door but he slammed it closed and got in my way before I could leave. "Well it's the truth. I do care. I care more then you know." he said moving closer._

_I backed up and leaned on the pingpong table. "Really? Why should I believe you?"_

_He wiped his face, obviously getting aggravated with me. "Damn it Vickie, I love you." he snapped, closing the gap between us so he stood right in front of me. "I love you and I know you love me too." he said, brushing his fingers through my hair._

_"You're drunk Shane." I said, trying to pushing him away. "We can talk about this when you're sober."_

_He pushed my hands away and shook his head. "I need you to believe me." before I could say anything else he pushed his lips against mine. I struggled but his hand grabbed my face so I wouldn't move away. Using my hand I pushed him away, but that just made him kiss my neck._

_"Shane get off me." I struggled, trying to scratch him or kick him, but nothing worked._

_He shook his head, his hand moving to the bottom of my night dress. "I know you love me. I know you want me just as bad." he said as he rubbed me against my underwear._

_I struggled more as I cried. "Please. Please Shane let me go." I begged, trying to push his hand away. "Help." I screamed._

"Vickie?" I looked over At Maggie seeing her watching me with a worried expression. "Are you okay? You went somewhere just then."

I just nodded as I hid my shaking hands. "I'm fine." I lied.

**  
**

**Chapter 28**

**Painful Memories**

**VPOV**

I was sitting in my cell still, though Maggie had gone. Actually as far as I knew I was alone, everyone else were in the other section of the cell block. But of course that didn't last long.

"Vickie?" Andrea called as she came up the stairs.

I sighed. "In here."

She followed my voice, coming to the entrance of my cell. Looking in she gave me that sympathetic look. "Vickie, I wanted to talk..."

I nodded to myself as I looked at my hands. "You know they left me at the farm too?"

"What?" she asked, obviously thinking we were going to talk about something else.

I just kept nodding. "Yep. They thought I was dead, just like you. But nope. I ran into the woods." my fingers fiddled with my blanket. "This guy found me, took me to his camp where there were about ten others. I thought I was safe." I laughed bitterly. "I wasn't. They tied me up, tried to rape me." I turned my arm around so she could see the scars on the inside of it.

"Oh, my God." she moved closer, sitting on the bed.

"I've got scars all over my stomach and chest. This is nothing." I shrugged.

"Vickie-"

I cut her off. "While you were with Michonne, going from place to place, I found this." I gestured around the room. "I moved in, the walkers not taking notice of me because I was covered with walker blood. I lived day to day, slowly forgetting who I was. When they found me, I moved around like a chimp, I was an animal. I couldn't even remember their faces. I was scared of my own brother's face. My  _brother_." I laughed shaking my head.

"When the Governor found Michonne and me, I was nearly dying." she tried to empathize with me.

I just shook my head. "Merle told us what happened. How you were brought in, taken care of. Good ol' Governor's charm." I sighed. "Andrea he is an evil man. The things he does, what's in his head. They're ten times worse than the men who tried to rape me."

"No, he's-"

"A good guy?" I asked,scoffing. "Did Michonne tell you he sent Merle out to kill her? You were there when he had Daryl and Merle fight to the death. What about the heads he had in fish tanks? Hmm? You think a good guy has that as decoration?" I shook my head. "I know you feel like you owe him. I know you feel as if you've grown a connection with this man. But he will cut you off the moment you become invaluable or difficult."

"What are you trying to say?"

I shrugged. "I'm saying, be careful."

**DPOV**

Once the car was out of sight, Andrea gone, I turned to Vickie. She had been avoiding everyone all day, after Maggie had cleaned her stitches and re-bandaged her arm. As I turned, I saw her walking back into the prison, her head low.

Groaning with frustration I followed her. I had no idea what had happened, why she was doing this, but I didn't like it. She had gone through to much to be alone again.

"Vic!" I called after her as I entered the cell block. She was already on the second floor, moving to our room. "Victoria!" but she didn't stopped.

I ran up the stairs, taking two at a time before getting to the door way of the room. She sat on the bed, head low as she looked at the ground. Her arms were holding her, hugging herself.

"Vic?" my voice was low and soft, questioning. I moved forward, placing my bow on the ground before kneeling in front of her. "Vic, what's wrong?"

She just shook her head. "I don't want to remember anymore." her voice was flat, emotionless, making me worry more.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"I remember the bad things too Daryl. I remember being alone when all this first started happening. I remember thinking you were a walker when you got shot looking for Sophia... God, I remember Sophia. Jim. Dale. I had liked them. I had taken care of Jim. Sophia was like my sister. Dale, he was a friend. I remember Shane and Jason. My body remembers what it felt like when they touched me. I remember when Shane told us my dad was dead, how I felt. I even remember all the pets I've had, and how I felt when they died. Daryl, it's all coming back. There's too much bad." she was panting working herself up, rocking back a forth.

"Hey." I moved closer, holding her arms. "Vic, I need you to calm down. You're gonna have yourself another one of those panic attacks." I told her, trying to stop her from rocking. She nodded, trying to control her breathing. "That's it. Good." I moved to sit next to her, her arms wrapping around me as she tried to relax. "Deep breaths."

We sat there for a while until she was calm. I could feel her breathing was back to normal and her pulse had slowed to a good pace.

"Daryl?" her voice was soft, like she was afraid to talk.

"Hmm?"

"I remember when you broke up with me."

I pulled her back to look at her. "Vic-"

She just shook her head. "I don't care. I shouldn't have asked you to stay. I should have just let you do what you had to. And I shouldn't have gone off all the time. You were under a lot of stress, and I don't blame you."

I nodded, glad she wasn't upset. "I never stopped thinkin' about that while we were on the road. Thought the last thing you would remember 'bout me is what I said to you."

"Actually the last thing I remember about you is seeing Carol on the back of your bike as you both drove off."she sighed, moving away from me. "What's the point in remembering when it just hurts?"

I sighed, rubbing my head before saying, "It's not all bad, Vic. There's gotta go good stuff too."

"I can't think of any right now. There's just so much bad."

I nodded. "You remember your pets dyin?" she nodded. "Well what about before they died, you remember what it felt like to be with them? You remember being alone, but you gotta remember Glenn findin' you and ridin' in that car. And what about when you saw Rick, and he wasn't dead? You remember Dale dying, you gotta remember how he made you laugh and was always there for you. Sophia, she looked up to you, she loved you and you loved her. And when I got shot? Well you remember that night, in the room..." I left it hanging there, letting her thinking about it all.

She nodded. "You're right." she smiled. "And how I survived eight months without you I'll never understand." she leaned forward and kissed me softly.

 

...

 

I stood with Hershel as we all sat around in the cell block. Beth, Carol and Glenn were on mats by the candles. Maggie sat on the steps. Michonne sat on a box a little ways away. Merle was by the door, keeping his distance. Rick was with Ass-Kicker on the second floor. Carl and Vic were outside on watch.

"They hung a sign up in our town 'If you live it up, you won't live it down'." Beth started singing. "So, she left Monte Rio, son. Just like a bullet leave a gun."

Rick came down the stairs, stopping when he hit the floor to look at Beth just as Glenn walked up to sit by Maggie.

"With Charcoal eyes and Monroe hips. She went and took the California trip. Well, the moon was gold and her hair like wild. She said 'Don't look back now, just come on, Jim. You got to hold on, hold on. You got to hold on. Take my hand, I'm standing right here. You got to hold on'."

Rick came to stand by Hershel and me, both of us turning to him.

"Some reunion, huh?" I asked as Beth went on. Andrea's visit had left a mark on all of us.

"She's in a jam." Rick shrugged.

"We all are." Hershel pointed out. "Andrea's persuasive. This fella's armed to the teeth. Bent on distruction."

"So what do you want to do?" I shifted, keeping my voice low.

"We match it." Rick answered right a way. "I'm going on a run."

"We'll head out tomorrow." I nodded, ready to back him up.

But he shot that idea down. "No, you stay here. Keep an eye on your brother. I'm glad you're back, really. But if he causes a problam, it's on you."

I nodded, knowing he was right. "I got him."

With that settled Rick went on. "I'll take Michonne."

"You sure that's a good idea?" I didn't trust her, not after she ran off on us at Woodbury.

"I'll find out." Rick shrugged. "And Carl. He's ready."

"What about Victoria?" Hershel asked, looking down at Ass-Kicker.

Rick shook his head. "Not after Woodbury. It's too soon. And not with her arm. She should stay here, help out." he looked to me. "You hold it down here, and keep an eye on her."

"You got it." I nodded.

**VPOV**

It was late. I was pretty sure it was actually nearly dawn. During the night Glenn had come out to relieve Carl, joining me as I continued to keep watch. It was boring and uneventful, but it had to be done. A few minutes ago Maggie had come out to replace me, and I welcomed the thought of sleep.

I was walking towards the cell block when Merle's voice stopped me. "You know, I've never seen Daryl like this."

I yawned, turning toward him. He was lying on his bed, looking over at me. Slowly I moved so I could lean on the doorway to his room. "Like what?"

"Happy." he sat up. "It's you, you know. He never had a girl that he stuck around for. But you? Could have easily left by now, yet he's here."

"What are you trying to say? He's whipped or something?" I closed my eyes, resting my head against the doorway, getting agitated by what he was implying.

He laughed. "Well, he is. But that's not what I'm gettin' at." I opened my eyes looking at him. "You're good for him. Better then I ever was. Just thought you should know that, is all."

I nodded. "Well thanks. I guess." I moved away from the door, heading towards the cell block. When I looked over my shoulder Merle was lying back down, not looking at me anymore.

I made my way to Daryl's and my room, trying to be as quiet as possible. Glenn had told me dad, Carl and Michonne were going on a run today so I knew they needed the sleep.

When I got to my room I looked in, seeing Daryl asleep on the bed.

I smiled, dropping the gun I had been holding, on the ground before kicking off my shoes and taking off my pants- it was hot and I didn't want to have sweaty, gross legs while I slept. I gently moved on to the single bed, trying to carefully snuggle up to Daryl so we could both fit on the bed, but also trying not to wake him up. But I failed.

"Hmm?" he groaned, rolling on to his side. "Vic?"

I smiled, nodding my head as his arm wrapped around me, pulling me to him. "Who else would jump into bed with you?"

"Carol." he grinned,making me elbow him in the side. He kissed my neck. "I'm joking."

"You better be." I yawned.

"You should get some sleep." he told me, his fingers intertwining with mine. "Night." he kissed my neck again.

"Night." I fell asleep smiling that night, in Daryl's arms. It was one of the best sleeps I had ever had.

**  
**

**Chapter 29**

**Finally**

**VPOV**

"You know, I was thinkin'." Merle's thick southern accent broke the silence that had fallen between us.

We stood alone in the tombs. Daryl had told us to meet him here so we could go out the back of the prison instead of through the field. It was still full of walkers and we had no idea if The Governor had people watching us from that exit. But we still needed to hunt, and that meant we needed a way out. Hence being in the tombs.

I sighed, rolling my eyes as I turned to him. "I hope it didn't hurt. Seeing as you don't have much of a brain."

He chuckled. "What's gotten into you? Thought we were all buddy-buddy?"

I shrugged. "My ribs hurt more then they did yesterday. Maybe it's just a reminder of what you did to me."

He nodded, his smirk falling. "That's what I was thinkin' about. Just seems odd that my brother hasn't ripped my head off for layin' a finger on you. Been waitin' for him to do somethin' but still hasn't. You know anything about that?"

I looked away, leaning against the wall. "He thinks you didn't know I was his girlfriend. As far as he knows- what I told him- you found out I'm Rick's daughter and wanted revenge on my dad. He doesn't know you knew we were together."

He nodded, humming as if he found this interesting. "So you not gonna tell him the truth? Gonna lie?"

"I already have, haven't I?" I glared just as Daryl came around the corner.

He stopped in his tracks, noticing the tension between his brother and me instantly. "Everything okay?"

I nodded, putting on a small smile. "Just telling Merle to quit with the inappropriate jokes. That's all. So are we ready to head off?"

**DPOV**

I was agitated, trying my hardest not to blow up in front of Vic. See the thing is, I had heard what Merle had said, about him knowing Vic was my girlfriend when they were at Woodbury. The fact he had hurt her, the fact he had let everything that had happen, happen, it made me want to kill him. I had never felt like this about Merle in my whole life...

"You sure you know what you're doin'?"

I looked over to see Vic crouched down, scanning the ground for tracks. Merle leaned against the tree near her, looking amused as if he thoughts she had no idea what she was doing.

"What makes you think I don't know what I'm doing? Is it because I didn't have to hunt before all this?" she stood, glaring at him. "Or because I'm a girl?"

He laughed. "Both."

She just pointed in a direction without looking away from him. "There's rabbit tracks that go that way. Not even an hour old. It's an adult, might have some good meat on it."

Merle just pushed himself off the tree, heading in the direction she'd pointed. "You gonna tell me what colour it is too?" he grumbled.

**VPOV**

We had been out for a few hours. So far we had only found the rabbit, but luckily nothing had found us yet.

I could tell something was wrong with Daryl. It was like he was trying too hard to keep his mind on hunting. He didn't even say anything when I had first found the rabbit tracks. It was like he was mad at me.

A whistle stopped me in my tracks. Turning I saw Merle by a tree, gesturing for Daryl and I to come to him. So without another sound I headed over to see what was going on.

A distance away there was a boar, drinking from a puddle by some bushes.

Daryl lifted his bow, aiming it at the creature, ready to shoot.

Suddenly a walker came out of the bushes, landing on the animal and taking a chunk out of it's thigh.

The boar squealed as it went to run away but the walker held it and two more came out of the bushes, each landing on the animal and grabbing it as they ribbed it apart with their teeth. The boar just kept screaming and the walkers slowly ate it alive. Blood covered them, the colour deep and horrific.

My mouth opened as a gasp started to leave my mouth.

A hand covered my mouth before I could make a noise, the person puling me back so I was behind the tree and out of sight.

I looked up into Daryl's eyes as he looked into mine. I could tell he was silently asking if I was okay. I nodded, feeling his hand drop from my mouth and brush my cheek.

 

...

 

"Damn walkers." Merle had been complaining since we got far enough from the walkers the we could talk.

Daryl and I hadn't actually said anything yet though. I was trying to get the image of all the blood out of my mind. Every time I thought about it, I would think of my mum lying in a puddle of her own blood, alone and unmoving.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about." Merle's vice held no more anger, instead he seemed excited.

I stopped and turned to see what he was looking at, my eyes landing on a deer.

My heart stopped.

Merle's gun was raised, ready to shoot the defenseless and innocent deer. He was going to murder it and then skin it. Before the group would cook and eat it. It would no longer be the beautiful and majestic creature it was now. Just a slab of meat on a plate.

"No!" my voice cried out as I pushed Merle to the ground. Once he was down I looked back over at the deer, seeing it run away to safety. Letting a sigh of relief out I closed my eyes and calmed myself.

"What the hell was that?!" Merle's voice was filled with anger and venom. He stood up from the ground, towering over me with a negative energy radiating off him. "Why the hell did you just do that!?"

Daryl threw himself between us, protecting. "Leave her alone Merle." his voice was strong, determined, protective.

"She just let that deer go. That could have been our dinner." Merle stepped closer to Daryl. "That girl just scared off our food."

"We'll find more. Just back off, Merle."

"What if we don't find more? What if today's the last day we can get out of that prison before The Governor has the place surrounded? We'll starve. And it'll be  _her_  fault!"

"I said,  _back off_." Daryl shoved Merle.

Merle just chuckled at his little brother. "What are you gonna do? Go tell Rick? Run off to your best friend and tell him your big bad brother was mean?"

"Merle you;re lucky I haven't already killed you for touching Vic back at Woodbury. You took her knife. You knew she was my girl. Yet you still pushed her around. Marked her. Hurt her. You were gonna execute her."

My jaw dropped.  _He knew? How long had he known? Was that why he was upset with me? Why he had been keeping his distance? Was he made I lied?_

"So if you don't back of now, maybe you'll have to find yourself somewhere else to stay. 'Cause I'm not sure if you really do belong at the prison."

"No."

I moved around so I stood in between the two brothers. I had no intention to split them apart. I knew how important family is and there was no way in hell I was letting these two go their separate ways. They needed each other.

"Daryl, Merle was just doing what he was told. He had orders to do. And I wasn't telling him where his brother was. Please don't be mad at him." I looked up at Merle who seemed both mad and surprised that Daryl was telling him to go. "Merle since the change I've seen a lot of deer and the thought of someone killing one sickens me. I'm sorry I scared it off, I just couldn't let you hurt it. So please. Can we just go back to hunting and forget everything tat happened?"

They didn't move at first. Both of them too stubborn to be the one to give in first. But eventually they nodded their agreement, and with that we got back to business.

**MPOV**

With Rick, Carl and Michonne out looking for guns and Daryl, Merle and Vickie out hunting the rest of us were left with keeping watch and doing small bits and pieces inside the prison. We were all still unsure it The Governor had people watching us or not, so we were't risking the chances of being outside.

Carol and Glenn were on watch duty right now. Even though he had been on duty last night Glenn refused to let someone else do it. He still felt horrible about the fact we had given up our whereabouts to Woodbury...

"Honey, I'm home!" Merle's voice called through the cell block.

I jumped off my bed and rushed out to see Vickie. I was still pretty worried about her. Looking at her you'd think she'd been in a car accident or something. A bruised face, bandaged arm and limp in her step. She was falling to pieces, and I hated it.

"How you feeling?" I asked her, not caring about the animals Merle and Daryl carried in.

She shrugged, stopping by one of the tables to put her knife and gun down. "Sore and tired. How's everything here? Judith okay?"

I nodded. "Everything's fine." Reaching for her arm I went on. "We should probably change that."

She just shrugged my hand away and shoo her head. "It's fine, Maggie. You changed it this morning. If we keep changing it we'll run out of bandages before the others are cleaned..." she sighed. "Speaking of, I should probably go wash them and some clothes." she started for the cell block but I moved to stop her.

"Vickie you should go rest. You keeping working your body like this and you'll run yourself down."

But she smiled and moved to the cell block any way. "Stop worrying so much Maggie."

**VPOV**

I carried the basket of dirty clothes and bandages out and around to the courtyard where we had chained the fence to lock in some walkers before. Since then we had cleared it and placed a bucket there to collect rain water for us to wash our clothes. Safe behind walls and tucked away, we had no worried about The Governor's people getting us from here.

I hummed a little tune as I washed the clothes, hanging them up on the makeshift clothes line we'd made. I was in my own little world, taking my time and making sure I didn't move in a way that would make my body ache anymore then it already did.

I knew Maggie did have a point, that I was working a lot more than I should be and if I didn't slow down I'd never get better. But lying around didn't work for me. I had to keep moving, to keep my mind distracted.

"What are you doin'?"

I smiled, looking over at Daryl as I continued to wash one of the bandages. "Baking a cake. Want some?"

He sighed, obviously frustrated. "You know what I mean. I could tell the hunt had taken a lot out of you. That's why we came back."

"Your point?" I asked, looking back down at my working hands.

He crouched down beside me. "My point is, why aren't you resting?"

I didn't want to tell him why I couldn't stop. I didn't want to tell him about how my mind kept taking me back to Woodbury. I didn't want to tell him about the memories of my mum that filled my head and hurt my heart. I didn't want to tell him how if I stopped my whole body seemed to fill with pain, every inch of me hurting.

"Can I asked you something?" I stood from where I had been kneeling by the bucket, moving to the line to hang the bandage up.

"Of course."

I kept my back to him, my hands resting on the line. "If I make you this frustrated, why do you bother?"

I heard him stand. I could hear the emotion in his body as he moved towards me. My words were enough to frustrate him, to upset and surprise him.

His hand grabbed my shoulder, turning me so I looked at him. Eyes locked on to each other's I felt my whole body freeze as it waited for what was to come. I couldn't tell if I had pushed him too far and that maybe this was the end. Or if things weren't as bad as they felt.

"I'm worried not frustrated. And I bother because I care about you. I would leave everyone and everything for you. If that meant Merle- my own brother- had to go, then he'd be gone. I care about you more than anything else in the whole world."

Everything relaxed, no longer wondering if it was over. Looking into his eyes I could see the truth, how he really felt and I had never been happier in my life.

"I love you too." the words were a whisper, but not because I was unsure, but because I was so sure I was too nervous to speak any louder.

Daryl leaned forward, his lips pressing against mine hard as his hands grabbed my arms, pulling me closer to him. My eyes rolled back as the passion from the kiss poured into me.

I pushed on Daryl's chest slightly before he stepped back. Looking around to see if anyone was around I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door that lead into the prison, but in a different area from the cell block.

Once inside Daryl pulled me in closer again, his hands grasping my hips as he pushed my body against his, backing us up. My hands ran through his hair at the back of his neck as his lips moved to my neck.

When I hit a bench he lifted me on to it, placing himself between my legs, his hands moving to the button and zip of my jeans. While I pulled his vest and shirt off, leaving him bare chested.

My hands ran over his back, feeling lumps and lines from scars; and I paused.

Daryl froze as my hands stopped on his back. From the crook of my neck he looked up. "Vic-"

Gently, I brought my hands up to his shoulders, pushing him back ever so slightly. When he had taken a step back, his eyes looking at me with lust and passion but also question.

Slowly, carefully I pulled up my shirt, over my head. Throwing the offending garment on the floor I then moved to take of my bra before leaving my chest bare for him to see; including my own scars.

His eyes searched my skin as he took in the marks. His hands moved to brush the delicate wounds that had once brought fears to my mind just by looking at them.

"I had no idea there were so many." he whispered, fingers running along one that went right across my breast.

I closed my eyes at the touch, my skin tingling. "Daryl." I moaned.

He leaned forward placing a kiss on the scar. "Still beautiful." he whispered in my ear, his hands holding my waist as he pulled my core against him. The lump in his pants pushing against me adding to the desire within me.

"Daryl." I groaned, feeling him rock against me. "Please."

In a flash his hands grabbed my pants and pulled them off with my shoes. He unzipped his own pants as I took my underwear off.

The moment his pants hit the floor I grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to me as my lips crashed on to his. His own hands held my thighs as he spread them further until he could stand in between my legs, the tip of his member brushing against my core.

At that touch I tore my lips away from his and moaned.

Taking that as a good sign Daryl pushed him self into me, so slowly it was agonizingly good. He pushed him self all the way in, filling me. He held my thighs, his lips on my neck as he pulled out fast before slamming back into me.

"Oh, God!" I groaned.

He pulled out again before slamming in once more, the rhythm becoming harder and faster. Our bodies covered in sweat, skin against skin. He brought his lips to mine, kissing me deep and hard. Our tongues danced, swirling together.

Moving back he grunted with pleasure. "Feels so good, Vic." he breathed as he started to move even faster.

"Say it again." I begged, my hands grabbing his arms as I held myself to him, feeling everything inside me build up wanting to be released. "Say my name."

He looked me in the eyes as our bodies continued to pounded against each other. "Vic." he repeated only this time there was so much behind the word it made my toes curl. Closing my eyes I moaned at the sound of his voice. "You like that, Vic?"

I nodded. "Keep talking."

"Hmm." he kissed my should. "Wanna stay like this, keep you here. Feel too good." he seemed to be working himself up as well, as he started to move harder. His hand moved to rest just above my core. "Never let you go. Mine now." that's when his fingers brushed between us, touching the button that seemed to make me want to scream. "You're mine."

Nodding I let my head fall back. "Oh, God, yes! I'm your's. I'm your's!"

I screamed as my body exploded with a pleasure I never knew I could feel. It was as if a volcano was erupting and I was melting, all at once. My body shook. My head became foggy and empty altogether. The sweat on my body increased. Everything inside tingled. It was incredible.

Daryl slammed into me one last time before he pulled out, his seed spilling out on to the ground.

Hunching over, his head on my shoulder, he grabbed my hand, intertwining his fingers in mine. He was breathing heavily, just like me.

"I'm sorry if I was too rough." he squeezed my hand.

But I shook my head, grinning. "Don't be sorry. That was incredible."

He looked up, with his own grin. "You like it rough. Nothings changed there."

Rolling my eyes I pressed my forehead against his. My eyes softening, looking into his I sighed contently. "I love you."

Leaning forward he placed a quick kiss on my lips, soft and caring. "I love you, too."

**  
**

**Chapter 30**

**Houdini**

**VPOV**

Dad, Hershel and Daryl left this morning to go talk with The Governor. When dad told me about the plan, to negotiate and try to settle everything, I just had a gut feeling things weren't going to end the way everyone wanted them to. Things were going to get bad, and fast. But I promised Daryl I wouldn't worry about it. Instead I worked on gearing up the place with the others, just in case of an attack.

"Carl, come here." Glenn called my brother over as we all stood around one of the tables, weapons and ammo piled on top of it. He handed him a box of ammo. "You stash these at the loading dock. All right?" Carl nodded and turned to get back to work. "If anyone gets pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo." Glenn spoke to the group. He grabbed some tools before stepping back. "I'll go work on the cages outside."

"What we should be doing is loading some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to The Governor. We know where he is right now." Merle suggested. I knew, even before he spoke, that he was pissed. Pissed he was left behind. Pissed we weren't doing anything. Pissed Daryl was out there without him.

Glenn stopped in his tracks. "Are you suggesting we just go in and kill him?"

"Yeah, I am."

I put everything down and stepped between them, hands up and ready to stop anything that might happen. Out of everyone in the prison Glenn hated- and I mean  _hated_ \- Merle the most. Merle didn't exactly like Glenn either. But that didn't mean they could rip each other's throats out.

"Enough!" eyes strong and full of authoritative power I spoke clear and final. "Now we told the others we'd stay here. Set up the place. So shut up and get back to work."

Merle scoffed. "I ain't stayin' on the side line while my brother's out there, sweetheart." shaking his head he added. "Ain't sittin' right."

"Three of them are right in the middle of it." Glenn pointed out. "No idea we're coming. They could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong."

"And they will." Merle shrugged.

"I said, enough!" I yelled, anger boiling up. "We have jobs to do." looking between them.

Carl walked up to me, looking at Merle. "Anyway, our dad can take care of himself."

Merle just turned his gaze to my brother. "Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon."

"Glenn take Carl outside." I ordered.

From the other side of the table Maggie shook her head. "Don't say that to him." she told Merle.

With the sound of the door closing I walked up to Merle and slapped him across the face. He rubbed his cheek, glaring at me. "Now you look here, missy. I just about had enough-"

"Shut up, Merle." I interupted. "Don't you dare speak to him ever again. Don't even look at him."

"Or what?"

"If it wasn't for me, Daryl would have kicked your sorry ass out of here. So I suggest you play nice with me and my family, or you'll be right back out there on your own." with that I walked into the cell block to cool down, leaving Merle with Maggie and Michonne.

 

...

 

I walked back into the prison after having being outside, setting up some weapons. As I closed the door and turned around I found myself in a tension filled situation. Glenn stood on the steps, Maggie by the table, Michonne in the cell block. All of them looking at Merle with distaste as he held weapons in his arms, obviously up to no good.

"What's the matter with y'all?" Merle yelled at them. He started up the stairs but was stopped when Glenn wouldn't move.

"I'm not gonna let you put them in danger." Glenn told him, standing his ground.

Merle just wouldn't give up though. "Nut up already, boy. This guy cops a feel of your woman and you pussy out like this?"

That was it. I pushed Glenn to the side, shoving Merle's chest. I watched as he stummbled back off the second step where he had been.

He glared at me. "Get out of my way!"

"No." I didn't yell the word. I simply said it, with no emotion except determination. I was ready to beat the shit out of Merle if it meant he didn't leave. Especially after what he just said.

He nodded, licking his lip. "Fine then." lunging forward he grabbed me, pulling me down as I kneed him in the chest, struggling against him. His fist hit my ribs where he had kicked them before, a cheap shot.

Suddenly someone grabbed on to my arm, trying to pull me away from Merle as we continued to struggle and fight against each other.

"Let her go! Merle!" Maggie yelled.

Shrugging her away I kicked Merle as hard as I could at the same time twisting until the two of us fell to the ground. Rolling around the fighting didn't stop.

Merle rolled us over until he was on top, hand holding me down as his face looked at me with rage. "I'd kill you if you weren't Daryl's girl." he grunted as I struggled against him.

Glenn suddenly pushed Merle off me the two of them rolling around throwing punches and grunting. Michonne was there too, trying to keep Merle's machete hand away from Glenn. All the while Maggie helped me up, but as soon as I was on my feet I kicked out at Merle, getting him in  _his_  ribs.

A gun shot went off and all five of us turned to see Beth standing on the other side of the table, gun raised to the roof.

When she didn't say anything, just looked at us tired and disappointed, Merle shrugged us all off, yelling. "Let me go! Let me go!" we all stepped back, watching as he walked off outside.

Straightening up I went to follow, but Maggie grabbed my arm before I could go. "Leave him. He's dangerous."

But I just shook my head. "I can handle him. And anyway, if he hurts me, Daryl and my dad will kill him before he can get away." I told her before heading off after him.

I rushed outside, trying to catch up with him. I could tell he knew I was following, yet he still didn't turn around or stop. Just kept going, heading towards the gate.

I shook my head, not believing what I was seeing. "Hey! If you go out there, I'll shoot you." I called.

He stopped then, chuckling, hand on the gate. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is so." I stood next to him, hand on the gun in the back of my pants. "And you know what, I wouldn't mind the sport. So go ahead."

He laughed. "You got some fire. Can see why Daryl's so hung up on ya." nodding he went on. "I ain't stayin' here takin' orders from some Chinese boy."

"He's Korean." I corrected.

Rolling his eyes he sighed. "Whatever."

I nodded, seeing a possible solution. "What if you and I went out and checked the traps? It's been a few days since we set them. Might even have something decent to eat for dinner."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye. "What's your game? Why aren't you worried 'bout Daryl? And Rick? Heck even the old man?"

I shrugged. "Who said I wasn't worried?"

 

...

 

"You know, your dad could be dead. Right now. The Governor and the people at Woodbury. They want us all dead. Why wouldn't they just get rid of your dad right now?"

I rolled my eyes as we continued through the woods. The whole time Merle had been going on about the possibilites of what might be happening. I knew he was trying to convince me to go with him, to kill The Governor. But I wasn't falling for it. I had made the wrong choice too many times, lost too many people after not doing what I was told. I trusted Daryl, dad and Hershel. They'd be back.

"If you're so worried why don't you just go? You've been trying to get someone to go with you since the little plan formed in that head of your's. I mean, you could have gone off instead of making a big deal about it. Why didn't you just go?"

When I turned to look at Merle and he didn't answer, I knew I was probably never going to know why. So I just turned around and got back to walking, looking out for our traps to see if we caught anything.

I remembered the first few weeks after the walkers appeared and everything changed. Life had been so different then. Shane... he had done so much for me, my mum and Carl in order for us to survive. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd be able to do half the things I could do now- and I knew most of it was thanks to Daryl.

"Well look here." Merle's voice was covered in cocky glee. Looking over to where he gestured I could see one of our traps, an animal struggling to get out of it. "Maybe you were right, peaches. Looks like we might have ourselves a decent meal tonight."

I couldn't help but smile as well, even though I didn't appreciate the nickname.

We moved towards the trap, making sure no walkers were around at the same time. As much as we wanted the food, we knew not to risk getting caught by walkers. But as we got closer I couldn't help but realize what it was we caught...

It was a dog.

He was beautiful. A mix of Golden Retriever, German Shepard and Husky by the looks of him. His coat was thick and long like a German Shepard, the colour a beautiful gold like a Retriever. But his eyes, they were what really got me. One a deep rich chocolate brown, and the other an icy, pale blue- the Husky part of him showing. He was the most stunning dog I had ever seen.

"Merle..."

He sighed, more than likely realizing it was a dog as well. "You ain't gonna let me kill it are you?" I looked up at him and shook my head.

To say I was surprised when he gestured for me to go on, would be an underestimate. I was one hundred percent gobsmacked.

I knelt down by the cowering dog. It growled and whimpered as it struggled, trying to break free from the rope that bound it's legs, twisted and knotted in a way that looked as if I was going to have a difficult time getting him free.

"Hey." I slowly, calming moved forward. "Hey, it's okay." I cooed." I won't hurt ya boy. You're okay. You're safe." I tried to calm it down as I reached for the rope. The dog struggled a little more but I could tell he'd relaxed quite a bit. "Good boy. That's it." reaching into my pocket I grabbed my knife, slowly moving it to the rope so as not to freak the dog out.

With a quick flick of the wrist I cut the rope, before moving back to stay away from the dog just in case it attacked. Once he was free he got up, moving away from me- probably for the same reason why I moved. But as I stayed crouched on the ground, looking at the dog who was looking at me, something changed in it's eyes. From being a frightened weary creature, he suddenly started wagging his tail seeming happy and trusting.

"Come on. We should get back to camp 'fore it gets dark." Merle called from behind me.

I stood up, noticing the way the dog watched me do so. "Yeah, I'm coming." I called back, but before moving I smiled at the animal. "You're safe now. You should go." I turned and headed back to Merle, ready to go home. We may not have caught anything for dinner, but I did feel good about freeing the poor dog.

"You've got a friend." Merle mumbled as I stood by him.

Looking over my shoulder I noticed the dog following me. I smiled, guessing I was stuck with him now. Sighing I waved him over. "Come on. You can come home with us." he rushed over to me, jumping up and licking my cheek, tail wagging happily.

"How we suppose to take care of a dog?"

I shrugged, not really caring. "He's all alone out here. He just wants a friend."

Merle chuckled, drawing my attention to him. He grinned, nodding his head. "You care."

"What?"

"Daryl. He likes ya 'cause you care. The world hasn't changed you. Still the nice girl you probably was when everything was normal." he shrugged. "If I left and something happened to you. Daryl would kill me. And if he didn't I probably want him too. The world needs people like you." he shrugged again before moving towards the prison.

 

...

 

I sat on the ground in the courtyard watching as Carol kept guard. Carl was supposed to be helping but he was too distracted by the dog.

"What are you gonna name him?"

"I don't know." I replied, looking up at him from where he stood by the dog, petting his head. "What do you suggest?"

"How about Buster? Or Rover?" he smiled, ruffling the dog's ears. "Spike? Scooby? Buddy?"

"We had a dog called Max once." Carol called from the fence.

I stroked the dog's back. "What do you think, boy? You think you're any of those names?" he just kept looking at me, tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Nah. I think you look more like a... Houdini." the dog's tail wagged as he leaned in and licked my cheek. "I think he likes it."

"Houdini?" Carl asked, laughing. "Why that?"

"Well Houdini was a famous illusionist and escape artist. But when Merle and I found this guy trapped, he was twisted and stuck so bad there was no way he was getting out. So Houdini seems like a good name." I shrugged.

Carl just shook his head, smiling. "He isn't like the Houdini guy though."

"Exactly." I grinned.

"They're back!" Carol called from the gate as she got ready to open it.

Carl moved to help her just as Daryl got to the gate, stopping his bike for a moment before driving in, followed by my dad and Hershel in the car.

"Come on boy." I called Houdini as I stood, moving to Daryl.

He got off his bike, looking at me and then down at Houdini. "Vic-"

"I'll explain later." I interrupted as I wrapped my arms around him. "I'm glad you're back." I smiled as he held me to him, kissing my forehead.

The car doors closed behind us. Daryl and I looked over to my dad, seeing him scan the area before addressing everyone. "Let's get inside." we all followed, anticipation coursing through the air. Everyone wanted to know what happened, and if everything was finally going to be okay...

 

...

 

I stood with Daryl, his arm around my waist. Houdini sat by my feet, head resting against my leg. Carol was behind Daryl, Hershel in front of me as we stood by the wall under the windows. The others stood together by the cells. All of us watching dad, waiting for him to tell us what happened.

He reached into one of the cells, grabbing a rifle, before moving to stand in front of us. "So, I met this Governor." he nodded. "Sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Merle asked.

"Yeah." dad answered, staring off at the ground.

Merle turned and started to walk away. "Should have gone when we had the chance, bro."

"He wants the prison. He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead, for what we did to Woodbury." dad paused and I could tell he was having an inner battle with himself, but eventually he spoke again. "We're going to war." he finished, walking off and out of the cell block, leaving the the rest of us to stand there and take in what he had just told us.

I looked up at Daryl, my arms wrapping around him as I thought about what might happen to us. And honestly, I couldn't remember ever being this scared...

**  
**

**Chapter 31**

**Secrets, Scams and Plans**

**DPOV**

I stood outside by the fence with Rick and Hershel. Rick was explaining to me what the deal was with The Governor, and I didn't know how to feel. Giving up Michonne? That just seemed wrong.

"It's the only way." Rick told me, probably noticing the way I reacted to the news. "No one else knows."

"Are you gonna tell 'em?" I asked, thinking about how I may have to keep this from everyone, even Vic.

"Not till after." he shrugged.

"I can't just keep it secret from Vic. She'll know somethin's up."

But Rick just sighed, shaking his head. "She won't like it. It'll make things worse." he looked to the ground. "We have to do it today. Keep it quiet."

I shook my head. "This don't feel right..."

"Daryl, it's the only way to keep everyone safe. To keep Vickie safe." he hit a spot there. It was wrong, using her safety to get me on his side. But it worked.

"You got a plan?"

"We tell her we need to talk. Away from the others." he stepped closer to me.

I looked over at Hershel, seeing the old man look at the ground disappointed. Turning back to Rick I sighed. "Just ain't us, man."

"No. No, it isn't." Hershel added before moving off.

But Rick ignored him, leaning towards me to get my attention. "We do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies. We'll all be safe. We'll have a home, things will work out. It's for the best, Daryl."

I looked at him. I mean really looked at him. I knew there wasn't a one hundred percent way out of everything. The Governor could end up turning on all of us, trapping us. But seeing the way Rick looked at me, the fear in his eyes because of the chance he might lose his family, I knew standing by him was what I had to do.

So I nodded. "Okay."

That's when he added the last detail. "We need someone else."

 _Merle_. I knew he was talking about my brother. It made sense really. Merle knew The Governor, the way he thought and acted. He knew Woodbury's tactics and weaknesses. But not only that, Rick and I both knew he'd get the job done.

"I'll talk to him."

"I'll do it."

I shrugged. "I'll go with ya."

"No." he turned to look at me. "Just me." he said, final, before walking off.

I watched, not completely sure what was going on, but I trusted Rick and that was enough... for now.

**VPOV**

Maggie, Carl, Houdini and I stood in between the fences, banging and clanging pots together, trying to get the attention of the walkers in the courtyard, Houdini barked and howled, wagging his tail like he was having fun doing so.

"Hey! Come on! Over here!"

"Hey! Come on!"

"Over here! Come on! Over here!"

We yelled and shouted drawing the walkers closer.

It wasn't for nothing. No. We were distracting them while Michonne, Glenn, Daryl and Beth set up barbed wire around the place so when The Governor comes with his people, hopefully their tires will pop so it'll be harder to get to us.

"Hey! Vic, Carl." I looked over at Maggie as she gestured up to the gate seeing the other go back into the courtyard. "Lets go." she nodded before hearing up the hill so we could go join the others.

"Lets go boy." I called Houdini before running up the hill, following Maggie with Carl beside me.

Maggie held the gate open for us. I nodded my thanks before heading towards Daryl. Houdini ran past me, rushing up to Daryl and running circles around him happily.

I smiled, seeing Daryl pat his head as he watched me move towards him. When I came to stand next to him I rested my head on his chest facing my dad, as Daryl wrapped his free arm around me.

"Let's go." dad nodded at everyone before we all headed back inside.

 

...

 

I sat in my cell with Houdini and Hershel. Hershel checked over my wound making sure everything was okay. It had been awhile since I got shot, but with everything that had been going on the stitches had ripped a few times...

"How's it look doc?" I asked, looking down at my arm.

He nodded, letting my arm go and getting up. "It looks good. Stitches are gone, so everything should be fine. But you should keep a bandage on it just in case."

I started wrapping my arm up as Houdini jumped on the bed where Hershel had been sitting. Looking up at the old man I asked, "Is there something going on?"

He shifted slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." I sighed. "I just can't shake the feeling that somethings going down. Daryl, he's been acting strange. He's avoiding been alone with me. Every time I try to talk to dad he suddenly becomes busy. And well... you seem as if you're distracted. Like somethings bothering you. So what am I missing?"

Hershel didn't answer at first and I thought for a split second that maybe he was going to tell me. But then he just shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Now I have to get going. And you should too. There's things that need doing." he gave me a pointed look before leaving the room.

I shook my head, looking down at Houdini who. He was lying on the bed next to me, resting against my thigh with his front paws just hanging off the mattress and his head resting on my knee.

"I have a feeling Hershel lied to me, boy." I sighed, ruffling his head.

**DPOV**

I walked through the tombs, looking for Merle. We needed to talk. I knew how I felt about the deal with The Governor, but I needed to know what he thought about it. I needed to know if he knew what was at stake.

"Merle. You down here?"

I could hear metal clanging. It sounded like it was coming from the generator room. So I headed that way, hoping to find Merle and not some walker.

Lifting my crossbow and picking up the pace I moved towards the open door. "Merle?"

As I walked in I saw Merle leaning against a bench casually, looking my way. "Hey, little brother."

"What the hell?" I moved towards him, cross bow down, looking around the room.

"I was just about to holler back at you."

I nodded. "What you doing down here?"

He moved in my way, but I didn't think much of it. "Just looking for a little crystal meth." he shrugged."

I shook my head, turning away from him. I didn't like the idea of him messing with things like that. I'm not saying I was innocent, but I knew when to keep a clear head.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." he mumbled. "I shouldn't mess my life up when everything is going so sweet, right?" he chuckled.

"You talk to Rick yet?" I changed the subject.

"Yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm in. But, ah, he ain't got the stomach for it. He's gonna buckle. You know that, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. If he does, he does." I shrugged, not really knowing how I felt about it. If Rick didn't go through with it then Woodbury would be coming no matter what. But if we give Michonne to The Governor we'd be sending her to her death...

"Do you want him to?"

"Whatever he says goes."

Merle just scoffed. "Man. Do you even posses a pair of balls, little brother? Are they even attached?" I turned away having a good feeling where this was going. "I mean, if they are, do they belong to you? You used to call people like that 'sheep'. What happened to you?"

I looked back at him. "Vic. She's what happened. Anyway, what happened with her, Glenn and Maggie? What did you do?"

He shook his head. "I've done worse, Daryl. Didn't know she was your girl."

"But you knew Glenn." I stepped forward, getting angry. He couldn't just shrug what he did away.

"You need to grow up, little brother. Things are different now." He snapped back, not backing down. "Y'all think I'm the devil. Grabbin' up those lovebirds and Victoria like that, huh? But Rick's doin' the same damn thing I did. Snatch someone up and deliver them to The Governor. Just like me. Yeah. People do what they got to do or they die."

"We're tryin' to stop a fight. If it means Vic's safe-"

"So you'll give up another person for you're girl?" he scoffed again. "Does she even know whats happening?"

I looked away feeling a slight tinge of guilt. "She can't know. She wouldn't let us."

"Yeah, sweet girl she is. Saves a deer. Saves a dog. Andrea even told me 'bout how she ran off after that little girl." he nodded. "Maybe these people need somebody like me around, huh? Do their dirty work. The bad guy. Yeah, maybe that's how it is now, huh? How does that hit you?"

I stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm. "I just want my brother back."

There was a moment, just a second, where I could see a chance. Merle and I were never really open people. We were brothers, stuck together no matter what. But we didn't talk much. Right then though, I thought there was a chance he'd talk to me and everything would be okay.

But then he shrugged my hand off.

"Get out of here, man." he looked away.

I waited a moment but it didn't take me long to know nothing was going to happen. So I turned and left.

**VPOV**

"Are you scared, Vickie?"

I looked over at Carl where he sat on the ground petting Houdini. He didn't look up at me, just kept his eyes on the dog. He was fond of him, always doing whatever he had to before finding us so he could be with Houdini.

I shrugged. "I had been scared when dad told us, but I don't think I am anymore."

"Why not?"

I sat up on my bed from where I had been lying down reading a book. "Well I mean it was just you, mum, Shane and me for a while, on the road. And then I was all alone. We nearly got blown up at the CDC. You and I got shot. I was in the car accident with mum. The farm got over run. I was alone again. The walkers got into the prison. I was kidnapped. I just have a feeling things are going to be okay."

Carl looked up at me then, nodding. "If you're not scared then I won't be scared either."

 

...

 

I was taking Houdini out for a walk, moving through the tombs. As we rounded a corner I bumped into dad.

I gasped, hand over chest. "You scared me half to death." I sighed.

"Sorry, didn't mean to." he went to move on.

"Hey, dad..." he stopped turning to me. "I think Michonne should stay."

He shifted slightly, looking down at the ground. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was talking to Carl. He told me about what she did for him. And I was thinking, I know you want he gone once she's all better and The Governor had been dealt with, but I think she should stay. She needs to be with people, and well... I think we need her too."

He nodded, walking over to stand in front of me again. "Why do you think we need her?"

I shrugged. "She's strong, and smart and brave. But she's also kind and funny. She's not just this scary walker killing machine, she's fun, dad. She adds colour to everything. We all do. She belongs with us."

He looked at me, eyes boring into mine like he was trying to work out a big problem in his head. "You really like her don't you."

Stand my ground, I nodded. "I do. I know you think she might be dangerous, but she's not."

"Okay. She stays." was all he said before walking off.

**DPOV**

I was on guard duty, making sure everything was clear and keeping an eye out for The Governor and his people.

I heard Rick heading towards me, my attention turning to him. "It's off. We'll take our chances."

I nodded, glad we didn't have to go through with it anymore. "I'm not saying it was the wrong call, but this is definitely the right one." but there was something wrong. I could tell by the way he looked around the place. "What's wrong?"

He sighed, turning to me. "I can't find Merle or Michonne. They've gone."

I had a bad feeling about this, and I just hoped my brother was where I had left him. "Come on."

 

...

 

We rushed into the generator room, finding it deserted.

I sighed, moving to check the room to see if I could figure out where Merle might have gone. "He was in here. Said he was looking for drugs. He said a lot of things, actually."

"Like what?"

"He said you were gonna change you mind. Here we go." I sighed as I moved towards a pile of bits and pieces at the back of the room. Looking at the area I could see both Merle and Michonne had been here. "Yeah, he took her here, then they stood up."

"Damn it! I'm going after him." he started to head out, but I followed him.

"You can't track for shit."

"Then the both of us." he suggested, stopping as I caught up to him.

I didn't stop, just moved to the door he was mere steps from. "No, just me, I said I'd go and I'll go. Plus when we come back here, you need to be ready. Your family, too." I opened the door to the outside, ready to leave. But before I did I turned to Rick once more. "Just don't tell Vic where I've gone."

**VPOV**

I sat on the seat in front of Hershel and Beth, Carl next to me, all of us facing the gate waiting for dad to come. Houdini laid by my feet, chewing on a ball I had found for him. Carol sat on the bench by our table, feeding Judith.

Dad walked in followed by Maggie and Glenn. He stopped and waited for them, watching as Maggie came to sit next to me, Glenn standing next to her with his hand on her shoulder.

Dad fiddled with something in his hand as he started to speak. "When I met with The Governor, he offered me a deal. He said he would leave us alone if I gave him Michonne. And I was gonna do that, to keep us safe."

So finally I knew why Daryl had been acting strange. It was because he knew if I found out abut this deal I would never let them go through with it. Michonne was one of us now. She was a friend.

"I changed my mind." he went on, looking away from us. "But now Merle took Michonne to fulfill the deal and Daryl went to stop him, and I don't know if it's too late."

I was out of my seat in and instant. "What? Daryl went?"I started for the gate.

Dad stepped in front of me, grabbing me before I could go. "Vickie-"

"Let me go! How could you let him go? You have no idea what The Governor can do to him!" I cried, struggling in his arms. "Let me go!"

"Vickie. Vickie!" he still held me as I continued to struggle. "Calm down."

Houdini barked, warning dad as he stood next to me. I could tell dad knew Houdini would protect me, yet he didn't let go.

"You bastard!" I hit his chest. "How could you?"

"I know. I know. I was wrong. I should have told you. All of you."

It was suddenly hard for me to breath as I tried to catch my breathe. I held my arms to my chest as my head started to get dizzy. I was having another panic attack.

"Vickie." dad pulled me back, looking into my eyes. "Vickie you gotta calm down."

Maggie was behind me now, trying to help calm me down. "Vickie breath. It's okay. Just breath."

"I-I c-c-can't." I felt myself fall to my knees. "D-Daryl..." I tried to talk but it was too hard as every part of my body started to feel distant except for my lungs that seemed as if they were cramping up and burning at the same time.

Houdini coward as he nudged my arm, wanting to know whats wrong. Maggie was on her knees, looking at me worriedly, not knowing what to do. I could hear Hershel telling the other to stay back to give me space.

The last thing I remember hearing before I blacked out was my dad. "I'm sorry."

 

...

 

I woke up in my bed, alone except for Houdini who was lying a the end of my bed. It was dark outside and quiet. I was sure everyone was asleep. I knew I had blacked out again. I had a feeling dad had carried me to bed. Hershel would have checked on me, but I guess I was alright.

I sat, still shaky from the attack. I swung my legs around so they hung off the bed. I needed to know where Daryl was...

The sound of a gate opening and closing caught my attention. Houdini lifted his head, looking out the door.

"Come on boy." I whispered as I stood, moving out of the room.

I looked over the railing, down at the ground, to see Daryl heading towards the stairs. Something was wrong. He moved slowly and carelessly. He was slightly hunched over, his shoulders shaking.

I stayed where I was, watching Daryl as he got to the perch and finally looked up at me. The look in his eyes broke my heart.

"Daryl?"

He shook his head and gestured for me to go into the room. I nodded, walking in with Houdini. I sat on the bed, watching Daryl as he sat next to me, looking down at his open hands. Houdini sat in front of him, as if he knew something was up.

"Daryl... what happened?"

"I killed Merle." his voice was so quiet, so weak, I wasn't sure I heard him right. But when he went on, I knew what I had heard was right. "The Governor killed him. Turned him into a walker. I didn't want to..." he voice cracked, on the edge of crying.

I wrapped my arms around him, hoping I could help him. "Daryl, I'm so sorry." I found myself getting emotional, almost crying.

Daryl cleared his throat and shook his head. "I don't want o talk about it. I just want to go to sleep." nodding I let go of him so he could stand.

He took his vest off, and his shirt, replacing it with a short sleeved one. As he did this I shrugged off my pants and pulled my hair out of it's messy bun. I moved over so he could lie in the small bed with me, his arms wrapping around me, pulling me to his chest. As soon as we stopped moving, Houdini jumped up, curling into a ball by our feet.

"Vic, no matter what happens tomorrow I love you."

I nodded, resting my hand on his. "I love you too, Daryl."

**  
**

**Chapter 32**

**The Fight**

**VPOV**

"You are kidding right?" I looked to my dad before turning to Daryl. "You can't be serious." Daryl and dad shared a look.

We stood in my room as the others got ready for Woodbury's attack. We knew it was coming, after what Merle did and what happened to him.

Hershel, Beth, Judith and Carl were grabbing whatever they could take before they headed off, to stay away from the prison until it was all done. Dad had explained that they needed to stay safe, to stay away from the fight.

Now here he was, with Daryl, telling me I had to go with the others.

"Why should I go? I can fight. I can shoot. My wounds are healed, everything's better. Why do I have to go?"

Dad just sighed. "Vickie, we need you to protect the others-"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't give me the same excuse you gave Carl. He's a kid, it works on him. But not on me, dad. Don't try to bullshit me. Just tell me the truth. You don't want me going because of everythings that happened to me. Getting separated. Getting shot. The car accident. Getting left behind. Nearly getting raped. Losing my memory. Getting kidnapped. Getting beaten up at Woodbury. Getting shot... again. Bad stuff is going to happen to me no matter what. You can't protect me all the time. And really, its unfair."

"How is it unfair?" dad asked. I could telling he was getting worked up. "All we want is for you to be safe. If anything happens to us down here, we need to know the others will be okay."

"Vic, we don't want you to get hurt." Daryl admitted, finally. "But we need you to watch over the others. Keep them safe."

I looked at him, searching for anything he might be hiding. But when I realized it was the truth, I nodded. "Fine. I'll stay with the others. But if things get too bad for you guys I'm coming to help."

The two f them agreed, knowing they couldn't stop me even if they tried. And so with that I was left to quickly pack a few things before heading out to the car. I grabbed my duffle bag, the one that I had stored all my canned food and water bottles in since coming to the prison. Since the others came alone it had just been empty, lying under my bed.

I shoved some clothes in the bag, including Daryl's poncho. The rest of the ammo I had stashed in my room for emergencies- that everyone knew about, but left it because they knew if they needed it they could take it. I stashed a couple of water bottles and cans of fruit in to the bag, as well as Houdini's dog bowl.

"Vic." I turned to Daryl who hadn't left the room with my dad. He stood in the door way, leaning against it, watching. "Your brush is in that bag." he nodded to his bag in the corner.

I smiled, reaching in it to grab my brush before shoving it in my bag. "Can I put you in here and take you too?" I asked, not looking at him.

He sighed, moving away from the wall and wrapping his arms around me from behind. "I'm sorry. I know you want to stay-"

I turned around in his arms. "It's not just that. I just don't like the idea of leaving you here, in danger. I mean think about it. Every time something bad has happened, you haven't been around..."

"That's cause I'd never let anything happen to you."

"Then let me stay?" I asked, resting my head on his chest.

"You know I can't do that." he sighed once more, letting me go. "I should go help the others get ready." he reached for the top bunk, pulling down one of his jackets. "It's cold out. You should wear this."

I nodded, taking it from him. "Thanks."

"I'll see you outside." he told me as he left the room.

I sat down on the bottom bunk just as Houdini came running into the room, tail wagging, tongue hanging out of his mouth. I smiled, scratching his head. "Hey, boy. Looks like we're going for a drive." I sighed, pulling on Daryl's jacket.

**RPOV**

I walked down the stairs in the cell block, seeing Michonne waiting for me.

"We're ready." she told me, going on. "The dead The Governor offered about me, you had to think about it. You had to, I get it."

I looked to the ground, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the subject. Shoving my hand in my pocket I gave a small nod. "Yeah. I'm sorry. I came real close."

"But you didn't."

I looked to her as we kept moving, step by step, casually. There was a moment, where nothing had to be said. We both knew that things were different, for the good. Michonne was one of us, I knew that now. And she knew she could trust us.

"I never thanked you." she said, breaking the silence.

"For what?"

"For getting me out there that day, taking me in."

"Well, if you didn't have that baby formula, I wouldn't have." I admitted, at the same time wondering if it was the truth.

"You could have just taken the formula.

"Well... Must have been something else, then." I looked around before adding, "You know, it was Carl and Vickie that made the call. Vickie, she said there was something about you, said we needed you as much as you need us. And Carl. He said you belonged here, you're one of us."

"Seems like I've made an impression on your kids."

I grinned. "Yeah. Seems that way."

**VPOV**

I leaned against the car with Beth while Hershel sat in the passenger set, door open and Carl stood by a tree looking down at the prison. I rocked Judith in my arms, Beth playing with her small baby feet. Houdini just kept looking up, fascinated by Judith.

"Anything happening?" I asked Carl, who was still upset that he couldn't stay at the prison.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

I nodded, looking back down at Judith. "Maybe they won't come."

Beth agreed. "Merle could have scared them off."

But Hershel sighed, shaking his head. "No. The Governor killed Merle. They're not scared. They're coming."

"There!" Carl pointed towards the road leading to the prison. "They're here."

I handed Judith back to Beth before grabbing my gun off the roof of the car. I moved to Carl, watching as they shot and blew up the watch towers. They had major gun power, and plenty of ammo. I knew that as soon as they started killing off the walkers. They ran down the gate, moving into the courtyard. They pulled off the door for the walk way to get to the prison. Then one by one they disappeared into the building.

 

...

 

It was some time before they exited the prison, most of them running for theirs lives. They didn't expect Glenn and Maggie to be outside, guns at the ready.

From where we stood by the car we could hear the shouts and the gun shots. It was loud and horrible. I couldn't help but think of all the people we might kill just because The Governor brain washed them into thinking he was good and he was bad.

Beth and Carl had covered the car so they couldn't see us hiding up here. I hid behind a tree as the others stayed behind the car, low and out of sight.

Suddenly I could hear some one approaching, ready to shot if needed, I moved around the tree at the same time Carl stood and moved around the car.

"Whoa. Don't shoot." it was a guy, a little younger then me maybe. He looked terrified.

Hershel stood, gun at the ready. "Drop the weapon son."

Next to me I could hear Houdini growling, waiting for me to tell him to attack. Everyone was ready to defend.

"Sure. Here." the guy started to lower his weapon. "Take it." he slowly leaned closer to Carl.

Looking at my brother I saw something. It was only a split second, but it was enough for me to worry. But before I could do anything... he shot the guy.

We all looked to my brother, eyes wide, disbelieving. He had killed someone...

**DPOV**

We stood where the gate had once been, separating us from the walker infested field- though now all the walkers were dead. We looked out at the road, seeing The Governor and his people gone.

"We did it." Rick was the first to speak. "We drove them out."

"We should go after them." Michonne suggested, ready to end this once and for all.

I nodded. "We should finish it."

"It is finished. Didn't you see them hightail it out of here?" Maggie asked, obviously happy to stay where we were. But with The Governor alive it would never be over.

"They could regroup." Michonne pointed out.

"We can't take the chance. He's not going to stop." Glenn said exactly what I was thinking.

Carol nodded. "They're right. We can't keep living like this."

"So we take the fight back to Woodbury? We barely made it back last time." Maggie wasn't going to let it go.

"I don't care." I shrugged. It was true. After what he had done to all of us, especially what he did to Maggie, Vic and Merle, I wanted he dead.

"Yeah." Rick sighed. "Let's check on the others.

**VPOV**

I walked into the prison, Beth right behind me with Judith. My eyes landed on Daryl the moment I was inside, and I smiled moving over to him.

Before I could get there Houdini ran past me, jumping up and licking him on the face. He had known something was up, with the noise and the guy that had come across us. He would have been worried about Daryl the whole time- at least I liked to think he did.

Daryl sighed, grinning as he gave Houdini a scratch on the head before pushing him down. My smile grew as I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his arms wrap around me too.

"I'm glad you're okay." he sighed, kissing the top of my head.

"Dad, I'm coming to Woodbury."I heard Carl talking to dad, drawing my attention to them.

Dad sighed. "Carl..."

"I did my job out there, just like all of you. Took out one of The Governor's soldiers." Carl, I wasn't sure what was going on. After shooting the guy he had been shocked at first and then it was like he had done nothing at all...

"One of their soldiers? A kid running away? He stumbled across us." Hershel pointed out, trying to get Carl to tell the truth.

"No, he drew on us."

I moved away from Daryl stepping closer to the others. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Dad leaned forward towards Carl. "Well, I'm sorry you had to do that."

But Carl just shrugged. "That's what I was there for." he nodded. "I'm going with you."

I watched as he walked away. Shaking my head I stood by dad and Hershel.

"That kid was scared." Hershel told dad. "He was handing his gun over."

But dad wouldn't believe it. "He said he drew." Hershel shook his head, yet dad still wouldn't believe Carl had killed some one who wasn't a threat... "Carl said it was in defense."

"I was there." Hershel explained. "He didn't have to shoot. He had every reason not to."

"Maybe it looked like that to you, Hershel-"

"It's true, dad." I sighed.

"He gunned that boy down, Rick. He killed him." Hershel shook his head, walking off.

I placed my hand on dad's shoulder. "Dad, he was doing it to protect us, I get it. But the guy, he was handing his gun over. His hand wasn't even near the trigger..."

Dad nodded, looking at the ground. "Okay."

 

...

 

We were driving, heading towards Woodbury, when we came across the cars The Governor's people had been in when they came to the prison. Daryl stopped and I got off the bike in an instant, seeing all the dead bodies and a few walkers on the road.

"Oh, my God." I gasped, drawing the attention of a nearby walker.

I pulled out my knife, stabbing it in the head as Michonne went forward, killing walkers with her sword. Daryl shot a few with his cross bow and dad killed some with his knife.

"They're all dead..." I couldn't believe it.

Daryl came to stand by me near the drivers door of the truck. He put his hand on my back protectively, obviously not liking the idea of us being out in the open where there could be walkers.

Suddenly something thudded against the drivers window in the truck.

Daryl spun on his heels, crossbow raised, as dad stepped in front of me and Michonne raised her sword, ready to fight. But when I saw it was just a woman, I pushed past Daryl and dad, opening the door for her.

Dad raised his gun, Daryl never putting his cross bow down, as she stepped out. My free hand still held my knife but I didn't raise it, just watched as the woman moved to stand in front of us, hands in the air.

"What the hell happened here?" Daryl asked.

She shook her head, obviously scared. "The Governor. He killed them. He killed them all."

I looked over at dad, eyes wide. He just nodded at the woman before speaking. "Where's he go?"

"I don't know. I didn't see..."

"Why didn't you go back to Woodbury?" I asked her, still the only person not holding a weapon up to her.

"He killed everyone. There's no way I was going back there. If he found out I was alive..." she sighed. "Please, I can't go back there. I'm sorry we attacked you. It was wrong. Just please don't leave me out here."

Dad and Daryl shared a look before Daryl spoke up. "What makes you think we'd take you in?"

"Andrea. I heard she jumped the fence and went to your prison."

I looked over at Michonne, before turning to Daryl and my dad. All of us shared the same confused and concerned look. None of us had seen or heard from Andrea since she came to see us the first time. As far as we were concerned, she was still at Woodbury.

"What do you mean she jumped the fence?" dad asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

"Tyreese told me she ran off. She was headed for the prison... Isn't she at the prison?"

Dad shook his head. "No. She never made it."

 

...

 

I stayed outside with Karen and Sasha while the others looked for Andrea. I couldn't do it, I couldn't go back to that place. Where they had kept me, Glenn and Maggie. It was just too much. So instead I helped Karen and Sasha get everyone into a bus. They were all coming to the prison with us.

There were old and young people. It seemed like anyone who wasn't strong enough to fight, was left behind. And after killing the others it was as if The Governor was just going to leave them here, to fend for themselves.

A little girl was about to walk into the bus when she accidentally dropped her doll.

I knelt down, picking the doll up. It was just a dog, with big ears and a pale pink nose. It was old, the brown faded to a dirty cream colour.

I looked at the little girl who was watching me nervously. She was about six years old, long blonde hair that was pulled into two pony tails. She had big brown eyes, like a caramel chocolate colour, the slightest tan to her skin.

"Here you go." I smiled at her. "Who's your friend?" I asked, tapping the toy dog on the nose gently.

"Pinky. 'Cause it has a pink nose." she answered, voice so small and sweet.

"And what's your name?"

"Alyssa."

"Well, Alyssa and Pinky. I have a friend back at home who I think you will really like. His name is Houdini. He's my best friend, and my pet dog. But I need some help taking care of him. You think you two can help me?"

Alyssa's face lit up as she nodded, her smile growing. "Yes."

I stood up, still smiling at her. "That would be great." I said before she rushed on to the bus.

**DPOV**

We all stopped. Right in front of us was a closed door, blood on the ground that had come from inside the room. I had a bad feeling about whatever was in there.

There was a soft thud, as if someone was trying to get our attention.

"Will you open it" Michonne asked Rick.

Looking to Rick he sighed. "One, two..." unlocking the door and opening it, our guns raised.

The first thing I saw was the dead walker on the ground. It was that guy that had been at the meeting. The one who had called the fight a battle. It looked like he had been stab and left to die, before turning into a walker and then finally killed.

Then I saw the feet by the door.

"Andrea!" Michonne rushed in, kneeling down by Andrea and dropping her sword.

Andrea looked bad. blood on her face from where it looked like she might have gotten ruffed up by someone.

"I tried to stop him." she started.

"Your burning up." Michonne noted, Rick crouched down in front of them.

Andrea sighed, moving her jacket so we could see her shoulder. There was a bite. She had been bitten by the walker...

"Judith, Carl, the rest of them..."

"Us." Rick said. "The rest of  _us_."

She nodded. "Are they alive?"

Rick looked to me before nodding. "Yeah, they're alive."

She smiled and turned to Michonne. "It's good you found them. No one can make it alone now."

"They never could." I told her, remember the conversation I had with Merle...

"I just didn't want anyone to die." she shifted slightly, looking up at Rick. "I can do it myself."

"No." Michonne said before anyone else could speak.

"No, I have to." Andrea sighed, shaking her head. "While I still can."

That's when Michonne started to cry, and I had to look away.

I remembered back at the CDC when Andrea was going to stay, but Dale had conviced her not to. SInce Amy had died, Andrea believed that a person had the right to choose whether they lived or died.

"Please." she looked to Rick. "I know how the safety works."

He looked away. grabbing his gun and handing it to her. He didn't need to speak, that was his answer.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Michonne told Andrea, ready to stay by her friend.

Andrea nodded, looking at all of us. "I tried."

Looking away Rick nodded. "Yeah. You did. You did." he stood.

We left them then, closing the door. I walked away, further then the others. I couldn't do it, I couldn't listen. I was going to stay and wait, but I had to go find Vic. Make sure she was okay, tell her what happened.

As I got to the door to leave the building, I heard the shot, stopping me in my tracks. I looked down at the ground, remembering Andrea. We had never been close, but she was still family.

After a moment I moved on, heading for the main street.

**The End…**

 

**Bamby**


End file.
